The Celtic board will have a lot on its plate in the upcoming summer transfer window as quite a few players are set to depart from the club. They need to add reinforcements and replace some old warhorses as well. Apart from that, the top job is still up for grabs as Neil Lennon has only been appointed as an interim manager.
The Northern Irish man is currently the favourite to take over the role permanently. Another name which is doing the round is that of Rafael Benitez. The Spaniard’s contract with Newcastle United is set to expire in the summer, and his future with the Magpies is still uncertain at the St. James’ Park.
Bookmakers have kept the two time La Liga winner as the third favourite to take over the Celtic job permanently, but respected Spanish journalist Guillem Balague believes that Benitez would want to stay in the Premier League.
Update regarding Benitez
Balague was quoted as saying (Daily Record), ”The kind of offers that he got, which are like €10m net a year, come from Saudi Arabia and China which I don’t think are the places he should go next. The battle is to stay at Newcastle if he gets enough support. If he doesn’t stay at Newcastle, I think the Premier League will be the competition he would like to stay in.
”Another matter is which club will actually go for him. I don’t believe there’s been offers yet in that department. But that’s where it all stands – he wants to stay in the Premier League. The Premier League is his big target.”
What should Celtic do?
The journalist mentions that Benitez is yet to receive an offer from anyone and we feel that Celtic should try their luck with him in the summer. Celtic reportedly paid a package of £5.3m to bring Brendan Rodgers to Parkhead, and the former Liverpool boss was on a yearly salary of £2.3m.
The club went out of its way to appoint a manager like Rodgers, and the result showed on the pitch as he won every title in the country that was there to be won with a record number of points.
The club needs to take a similar approach if they want to be head and shoulders above everyone in Scotland. Celtic should come up with a generous offer for Benitez who could be up for grabs after he recently indicated that he is unhappy with the mediocrity at Newcastle United.
The Spanish manager has enough pedigree to take this talented group of players to the next level. However, the latest update from respected Spanish journalist indicates that it would be tough to lure the former Real Madrid boss as his preference would be to stay in the Premier League. However, money and the prestige of guiding Celtic in the Champions League could prove enough for the board to lure in the Spaniard.
If Celtic can offer the money they paid to Brendan Rodgers to Rafa Benitez (maybe a little more), then we believe that the Spaniard could very well come to Scotland and guide Celtic towards a more robust European future.
