Former Newcastle United striker Michael Owen believes that Rafael Benitez is fighting a losing battle at the club and will not get the control he commands.
The Spaniard has just a few matches remaining on his contract and intense speculation has orientated around his future, though Newcastle are keen to secure him to a new deal.
There has been suggestions that Benitez wants backing in the transfer market this summer but Owen believes that is not the case and the former Liverpool boss is instead looking for more control of the club’s structure.
However, he warned that it is simply not possible in the modern football climate and does not believe the club will bow to Benitez ’s wishes.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily about how much he gets, I think it is more a case of the power that he has and the overall control of the transfer, that is what I am led to believe,” he told BT Sport.
“That is not normally what happens as clubs any more, that’s what used to happen, but it’s not what happens anymore.
“There are transfer committees, there are lots of difference hoops that you have to jump through before a player can get signed and Rafa doesn't like jumping through these hoops.
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“I just think you have got to be very careful when you give the manager all the power because a big club could come in and he leaves the next minute and then all of a sudden you’ve got no structure.
“You can’t do everything like managers used to, but I just think you have got to conform. Even at the top clubs now, everybody has got this structure in place, but I think Rafa just wants full control.”
