Journalist says Amanda Staveley wanted CL winner ahead of Eddie Howe

According to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, Amanda Staveley would’ve preferred Rafa Benitez to replace Steve Bruce as Newcastle manager.

Staveley maintained good relationship with Benitez since the first time she wanted to complete the sale of Newcastle and journalist says the Champions League winner could’ve made a sensational return to SJP.

Newcastle ended up appointing Eddie Howe and it turned out a great decision as the Tyneside club has made great strides into becoming a force in Premier League.

Jacobs said, “But coming back to Newcastle I think the most interesting thing, you’ll know better than me Steve, is just again that relationship between Staveley and Benitez and if everything had gone according to plan on Amanda’s original aspirations and roadmap for buying Newcastle United, she’d have loved to bring Rafa back.

“That’s certainly my understanding, but I’m sure you’ll know a lot better than me on that one, but I think that that’s the missed opportunity. If Benitez looks now and with all due respect to Eddie Howe, Newcastle have gone in a completely different direction and Benitez was ultimately not available when they chose to bring in Eddie Howe.

“But if you flashback and you put the takeover, perhaps on a different, faster roadmap or even if you go a little bit earlier down the line when Amanda was still looking for investors, there’s been a few windows where she could have brought Benitez back to the football club and I think that if you only put it down to Amanda and things have panned out on a timescale that was a lot different.

“My understanding anyways is that Benitez would have always been the number one choice to come back to Newcastle United, at least if she took 100% of the say.” – finished the journalist for NUFC Matters podcast.