Rafa & Ash out of Toon over funds

with the Spanish boss unhappy after missing out on a string of signings.

Newcastle lost the race for Chelsea starlet Tammy Abraham this week, with the England Under-21 striker joining Swansea on a season-long loan.

They have also failed to land goalkeeper Willy Caballero, while a move for £8.7million Eibar defender Florian Lejeune is stalling because of issues with meeting the player’s buy-out clause.

Benitez and owner Mike Ashley had a meeting at the end of last season in which the manager was assured funds would be made available.

Since then chief scout Graham Carr has left and now the role of managing director Lee Charnley is in focus following the Magpies’ failure to land any of their targets. Peter Mann, of the Toon Talk fanzine, said: “We’re coming to the end of June and Newcastle’s fans would have expected some movement in the transfer market by now.

“However, there’s now an air of uncertainty around the place. We need to hit the ground running, but it looks as though the same players as last season will be turning up to pre-season.

“Plenty of us remember what kicked off when Kevin Keegan left. It would be worse if anything happened to Benitez.

“He’s the first one since Sir Bobby Robson who has really got what this club, city and area is about.”

It now remains for Ashley to calm those nerves by making a significant move in the marketplace.