NEWCASTLE UNITED’S hierarchy will attempt to pin down Rafael Benitez to formal contract talks as soon as the club’s Premier League survival is set in stone.

Newcastle chiefs have respected Benitez’s refusal to discuss his future until the club is guaranteed to finish outside the bottom three, and remain hopeful he can be persuaded to agree to a new deal, but there is growing concern at the potential for the current uncertainty to drag on into the summer.

Last week saw mounting speculation over Benitez’s future plans, with Spanish side Real Sociedad credited with a strong interest in recruiting the Newcastle boss if he opts to walk away from Tyneside when his contract expires.

The French media reported that agent Pini Zihavi had been charged with the task of identifying potential successors to Benitez, with Lyon boss Bruno Genesio mentioned as a possible candidate, and while those stories have been given no credence by St James’ Park insiders, the ongoing chatter around Europe underlines the vulnerability of Newcastle’s position.

Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley want Benitez to stay, but do not want to find themselves in a position where they head into the summer without a firm decision over who will be their manager next season. As a result, Benitez will be urged to hold detailed talks over his future as soon as possible, and ideally long before the end of the current campaign.

Newcastle officials tabled a long-term offer during their last round of talks with Benitez’s representatives, and insist they are prepared to offer a similarly lengthy deal when discussions resume.

Benitez’s earnings will make him one of the top six highest-paid managers in the Premier League, although some of his contract is likely to be incentivised in relation to Newcastle’s future finishing positions in the top-flight.

Ashley and Charnley are also ready to sanction a significant overhaul of the academy, including a major improvement to the current infrastructure at Little Benton, but future transfer policy and budget guarantees could still prove major sticking points.

Benitez is expected to demand cast-iron assurances about his spending power over the duration of a new contract, and his ability to dictate individual decisions and the club’s over-arching transfer policy.

Ashley has consistently refused to grant such powers to his managers in the past, and it remains to be seen if he is willing to budge if an impasse over transfers threatens to scupper the prospects of Benitez remaining at St James’ Park.

The Newcastle boss knows he is in a strong negotiating position, with his side currently seven points clear of the drop zone in 13th position in the table, and is likely to cite the permanent signing of loanee Salomon Rondon as one of his immediate requirements.

Rondon scored Newcastle’s opening goal in last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Bournemouth, with Matt Ritchie salvaging a point as he fired in a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser.

Ritchie’s goal sparked jubilant scenes amongst the travelling support, and saw the Scotland international score against the side he left when he joined Newcastle in 2016.

He is clearly relishing his new left wing-back role, and is in no doubt as to the importance of retaining Benitez’s services beyond the end of the current campaign.

“He’s very good,” said Ritchie, in an interview with talkSPORT. “It’s massive that he does stay now, especially at the moment with the unrest among the fans. There’s no better man for the club, he’s seen everything.

“He’s been everywhere in football. He’s seen the highs and lows, and he doesn’t ride with them. He’s always in the same mood. That spreads throughout the whole team and the whole club.”