According to reports in the Sunday Times on January 21, Newcastle United bosses are ready to open talks over extending Rafa Benitez’s contract with the club, despite the side’s struggles in recent months.

The Magpies found themselves in sixth position in the Premier League table after taking 14 points from their opening nine fixtures this season, but a run of just one point from the next 27 available saw them slide back down towards the relegation zone.

Failure to beat the likes of Bournemouth, Watford, Swansea City, Everton and Brighton and Hove Albion at St James’ Park during that period have left the Toon in a precarious position, and the lack of top flight experience and quality they have within their playing squad has certainly been a factor in that and needs to be addressed in the coming days.

Their form dipped as soon as owner Mike Ashley put the club up for sale and it was announced that Amanda Staveley’s PCP Partners were keen to complete a takeover deal, which of course would have proven to be a distraction and cause some uncertainty for the players – especially as negotiations rumbled on with little progress.

Ashley eventually pulled the plug on the deal last week and while Benitez certainly wouldn’t have been happy about the news as he looks to try and take Newcastle to the next level – something that won’t be possible under the leadership of the Sports Direct tycoon – he may also have been slightly relieved that the takeover talk that had been hanging over the club had at least disappeared in what is a crucial period for the team.

The Spaniard has 18 months left on his current deal – which is worth £6m-a-year according to the Sunday Times – and while the hierarchy and the supporters will want him to commit his future to the club, the Magpies’ current situation in the Premier League and their lack of transfer action so far this month is more concerning right now.

Saturday’s 3-1 defeat against runaway leaders Manchester City, which was no surprise to anyone betting as a fan – combined with other results across the weekend – mean that the Tyneside outfit are in 15th position and just one point above the relegation zone, and three points off of the bottom of the table, as they look to avoid an instant return to the Championship.

Benitez has made no secret of his desire to improve his squad before the January transfer window slams shut next Wednesday – having also been left unsatisfied with his summer business – and he said last month that he wanted all of the new players through the door by January 20.

However, the breakdown in takeover talks between owner Ashley and Staveley’s PCP Partners and a generally slow window has meant that he didn’t have anyone in before that date, although Newcastle did complete a deal to bring Chelsea winger Kenedy to St James’ Park on loan until the end of the season on Tuesday.

Ashley knows that he needs to back his manager and try and bring all of his top targets to the club before the end of the month, and offering Benitez a new contract may prove to be an unneeded distraction to those endeavours – especially as the former Liverpool and Real Madrid manager probably wouldn’t sign it as things stand anyway.

With no proposed takeover on the table and with the 57-year-old feeling that Newcastle haven’t lived up to their promises when it comes to play recruitment either last summer or so far in January, he could even be tempted to walk away completely if things don’t go his way by the close of play on Wednesday.

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Any contract talks for the Spaniard must take a back seat now in the interest of common sense, with a goalkeeper and a centre-forward the priority signings for the Magpies to end the month on a high and in order to keep Benitez satisfied.

Over to you, Mr Ashley.