Rafa could make

EX-MAGPIES PLAYER SOLANO TELLS LEE RYDER THAT MIKE

NOBBY Solano has told Mike Ashley there is only one man he needs to listen to during his end-of-season debrief. The former Newcastle United star believes next week’s crunch meeting needs just two people in the room, Ashley and Rafa Benitez. Down the years Ashley has listened to a range of advisors, including Dennis Wise, Joe Kinnear, Graham Carr and Lee Charnley, but Solano is confident Newcastle could be just one positive conversation away from a much brighter future. In an exclusive interview with the Chronicle, the United legend said: “Rafa Benitez is the only guy Mike needs to listen to when it comes to football. “He’s listened to other people in the past and he has gambled when it comes to putting a team together – but where has it got him? “I’ll tell you where – two relegations and just one top-five finish in 10 years since he took over. “I know Mike has done a lot of good things for Newcastle too, and that football has changed a lot since he paid for the football club in 2007. “But Rafa is a football man who has contacts around the world who are second to none. “He knows exactly what it will take to make Newcastle into a great team.” Solano also feels that Benitez deserves a decent amount of money to spend this summer for showing loyalty to the Magpies last summer. The Peruvian said: “Rafa stayed at Newcastle last season for the fans. “He was really unlucky to get relegated but he felt the appreciation of the crowd stayed on because of that.

“He has rewarded everybody with promotion to the Premier League.

“It’s not easy to do that in the first year after relegation, and if anybody looks at the statistics for relegated teams, you can see what a great achievement that is.

“It would be great if Rafa was now rewarded with some money to spend. If he’s not, whoever takes his place has a difficult job on their hands. and

“It’s going to be hard enough for Rafa as it is.”

Despite having extra TV money to spend this year, Solano feels it will be difficult to bring in the best players available.

He said: “Who will come if there isn’t much money on offer?

“Players want Champions Nobby Solano Newcastle boss Mike Ashley League or Europa League football AND a good deal. “Don’t forget that you have £70,000-a-week reserves at Premier League clubs these days. “It’s going to be difficult to compete with the top six clubs for stars this summer.