BENNY’S OUT OF TOON ASH SIGNING FIGHT

Perez is Havana laugh and wants his dancing feet to take Toon quick-stepping up the Prem table

AYOZE PEREZ has revealed he kept fit this summer with a salsa dancing trip to Cuba.

RAFA BENITEZ has stepped back from his transfer battle with owner Mike Ashley.

The Newcastle boss says it is time for a period of “calm” and to “focus on football” after a turbulent summer of behind-thescenes rows.

Benitez (above) issued a rallying cry to Newcastle fans and players ahead of the Tottenham game, and their quest to better last season’s tenth-place finish.

The Spaniard got seven new players but the club made a £20million profit in the summer – and he last week suggested “everything” was wrong, on and off the pitch.

But ahead of the new season he said: “The fans were expecting Rafa to be upset and fight, but my message is very clear.

“My responsibility is to be sure we have no excuse not to perform on the pitch. We are finished the transfer window, now we have to bring the best from our players. I have to concentrate on that.

“It is fine, we are ready. I am a fighter so I like to fight. Hopefully, we’ll do as well as we did last year.

“Even doing everything right or not, we have to fight. I am really calm now. It is the time where you have to do exactly as we did last year. The fans behind the team, all together, the work rate and commitment high.

“During the summer you have to try to improve your squad as much as possible.

“We finished tenth last year. We have added some players, players we needed, and I think that is good and positive. Could it be better? You can always improve and be better. But I am pleased with the players that are here.”

Benitez’s contract runs out in June and there appears little chance of him signing an extension with Ashley’s (above) side. But the Toon boss insists his contract running down won’t be a distraction adding: “A disruption? I don’t think so. We have time to do things and I don’t need to explain at every press conference that we have talked.

“We know now is the time to relax a little bit and concentrate on the games. Then we have plenty of time to talk about that.”