RAFAEL BENITEZ has ruled out any imminent contract discussions, but the Newcastle United boss is confident ongoing doubts over his future will not have a detrimental effect on the club’s season.

Having spent the majority of the summer bemoaning the Magpies’ lack of investment in his playing squad, Benitez used his press conference ahead of this afternoon’s season opener against Tottenham to draw a line under his war of words with Mike Ashley.

Newcastle ended the summer transfer window with a net profit of around £20m, having spent less in net terms than any other club, but despite having previously bemoaned the lack of playing resources at his disposal, Benitez claimed the club “did well” in terms of their summer transfer business.

With a group of supporters planning to protest outside the main Newcastle branch of Sports Direct ahead of today’s lunchtime kick-off, Benitez is determined to prevent any lingering resentment from spilling over into the stands.

To that end, the club released an official statement yesterday afternoon, counter-signed by Benitez, Lee Charnley and Jamaal Lascelles, calling for “unity” and claiming the current squad is “better than the one that finished tenth”.

Nevertheless, Benitez will continue to resist Charnley’s attempts to force him into a new round of discussions over his future, raising the possibility of him walking away when his current contract expires next summer.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid boss has previously rejected Newcastle’s offer of a 12-month rolling extension, but insists the ongoing uncertainty will not have a negative effect on his team’s performance, even if it is not resolved until the end of the season.

“If we have to talk about a possible extension, we will talk, but now is not the time,” said the Magpies manager. “Is it (the contract situation) a disruption? I don’t think so.

“We have time to do things, and I don’t need to explain at every press conference that we have talked. We know now is the time to relax a little bit and concentrate on the games. Then, we have plenty of time to talk about that.”

Benitez’s relaxed attitude at yesterday’s press briefing stood in marked contrast to some of his more emotional outbursts during Newcastle’s pre-season programme.

Earlier this month, he was painting a grim picture of what would happen if Ashley refused to loosen the purse strings, but yesterday he was talking of the improvements that have been made to the squad since the end of last season.

The £6m deadline-day arrival of centre-half Federico Fernandez will have helped lighten his mood – the Spaniard will not be considered for today’s game but should be available to face Cardiff City next week – but the shift in Benitez’s mood is hardly unusual.

He has previously stated that he regards fighting for new signings as part of his job, and tends to alter his tone once the transfer window is closed. Nevertheless, given the voracity of his statements earlier this summer, his latest about-turn was surprisingly pronounced.

“The fans were expecting Rafa to be upset and fight,” he said. “But my message is very clear. My responsibility now is to be sure we have no excuse not to perform on the pitch. We are finished the transfer window, now we have to bring the best from our players. I have to concentrate on that.

“We have to be lucky with injuries, but some of the players we have brought in – (Martin) Dubravka, Kenedy – they have quality. Then, to bring in (Yoshinori) Muto and (Salomon) Rondon, it could be crucial.

“We have lost (Florian) Lejeune (to injury), so we needed (Fabian) Schar and Fernandez. We needed the experience of Fernandez in the Premier League.

“The key for us being better is how good will Muto and Rondon be. They are different to what we had, and we have improved a little bit, or at least we have brought in players who can do a job for us. Maybe we can be better, but the other teams will also be better.”

A potential distraction disappeared earlier this week when Newcastle’s players reached an agreement that ended their row over bonus payments.

Benitez stayed out of the discussions between the playing squad and Ashley, but sensed a degree of festering frustration that has now disappeared.

“There were days where they were a little bit unfocused, but now it is sorted out, they are focused,” he said. “I can tell you that some of them, watching the training sessions, they were suffering because they wanted a solution. But after that, they were fine.

“You can change the motivation of players in one minute. As soon as it is done, that is it. You forget. I am happy because now they are focused – that is it.”