Newcastle United have parted ways with Rafa Benitez and the veteran manager has now chosen to head East.
It has been reported that Benitez has taken charge of a Chinese Super League club having signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with them.
The Guardian reported: “Rafael Benítez has taken over as manager of the Chinese side Dalian Yifang barely a week after Newcastle announced his departure.”
The former Newcastle United boss also posted an update on Twitter saying: “After a long path… We start a new challenge! I’m happy to begin this new project with Dalian Yifang.”
Now with Rafa out of the English limelight, all the focus has shifted to Rangers manager Steven Gerrard who has been tipped to become the next Newcastle United boss for the upcoming season.
While the Rangers faithful are confident that Gerrard will not leave Ibrox during the summer but if one were to believe the statement of Alan Brazil then surely it is the right time to panic.
“Football these days isn’t about who’s bigger,” said Brazil, as reported by Football Scotland.
“That’s why Rangers fans should be worried about Newcastle United being linked with Steven Gerrard. The Magpies are already loaded with Premier League cash.
“But after months of negotiations, I hear owner Mike Ashley is willing to sell to Emirati billionaire Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“He might be thinking a young, up-and-comer might be the right way to go. If that’s the case, Rangers will probably find themselves outgunned.
“If that changes, they’ll become a very attractive proposition for every top manager in the world.
“Under those circumstances, if Steven Gerrard is approached and told: ‘Come here and we’ll give you £150-million to spend’, there’s no way on earth he could turn it down.
“But whether it happens remain to be seen. There’s every chance – in fact, it’s probably more likely than not – that Stevie will stay at Rangers until at least the end of the season.
“But there’s no way he’d be able to turn down a serious offer from a Premier League club. That’s where he wants to manage – preferably at Liverpool.
“Yet Newcastle, or a club of that size, could provide him with the perfect stepping stone.
“As big a club as Rangers are, I think they’d struggle to hang on to their boss if such an opportunity came his way.”
