Benitez set for crunch talks

RAFA BENITEZ will hold crucial talks with Newcastle owner Mike Ashley in the next few days that could decide whether he stays.

But the Magpies boss, who takes his team to Cardiff tonight having won promotion, is confident Ashley will back his aims.

Ashley rang Benitez yesterday morning to discuss the ongoing tax probe that saw managing director Lee Charnley arrested then released without charge on Wednesday.

But the call was primarily to congratulate Benitez and his squad and to arrange a planning meeting.

Such meetings with club icons Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer in the past have ended in acrimony.

Even in the new year, Benitez ran into a brick wall when discussing transfer funds with Ashley.

But Benitez believes Newcastle’s chairman shares his ambitions.

“I had a very honest and open conversation with Mike,” said Benitez, who refused to commit his future to the club after the 4-1 win over Preston on Monday sealed promotion.

“The conversation was quite positive. He was congratulating me, the staff and everyone.

“Now we have to have a meeting face to face to see where we are.”

Benitez said of the meeting: “It’s simple. He’s the owner, so it depends on him what we’ll do. He needs to know my ideas and I need to know his. How much money we have to spend, which players will stay and leave.

“The fans want a fantastic team, we want the same and the owner, as a businessman, wants the best for this club. And the best for this club is to be successful, to stay in the Premier League and then maybe challenge for trophies. We have the same objective.” ❑FORMER Newcastle midfielder Sylvain Marveaux was yesterday arrested in connection with the tax probe.