BENI & THE CHEQUES
Rafa Benitez confirmed as new boss of Chinese side Dalian Yifang on £12m-a-year contract after Newcastle exit
RAFA BENITEZ has doubled his Newcastle salary after being appointed the manager of Chinese side Dalian Yifang.
The Spaniard will pocket a staggering £12million-a-year after confirming his new venture in Asia.
It comes just days after Benitez rejected the chance to sign a one-year extension on the same £6m-a-year salary at Newcastle.
Benitez, 59, wanted to stay on Tyneside but left because owner Mike Ashley didn't "share his ambition."
The former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager shared his journey as a manager on social media that led to his unveiling as Dalian Yifang boss.
Alongside the video, he said: "After a long path... We start a new challenge! I'm happy to begin this new project with Dalian Yifang."
Benitez was vocal in his criticism of the Newcastle board on his departure claiming they weren't prepared to offer him the tools to progress.
He insisted: "I wanted to stay, 100 per cent.
“I wanted to develop a project but you have to have the tools.
“If you don’t, then you suffer because you’re at the bottom of the table.
"That's something I couldn’t manage for another three years.
“I couldn’t stay there just to be bottom. It wasn’t my idea when I went to Newcastle.
“The idea was the top ten, top eight and then maybe try for Europe later on.
“If the people at the top of the club had the same ideas, I would still be there.”
Asked if trust had gone, Benitez replied: “Yes. We didn’t have that, so I had to choose.
“I had the feeling they were really pleased for me to stay at the beginning.
"But later on, when we had different views in terms of how to move forward, I couldn’t see this support.”
The Chinese Super League side will be his 13th managerial appointment in his career and he will manage Belgium international Yannick Carrasco.
