Newcastle United remain in dialogue with Rafa Benitez about extending his current contract and are pushing for a conclusion on talks on his new deal.
The discussions - which club sources state have been ongoing for 18 months - now hinge on the agreement of a structured plan to take the club forward.
However, while United would like to get the deal tied up within the next two weeks, Benitez's actual expiry date on his current deal is believed to be June 30.
Once United move beyond that date the situation will be out of their hands and he will be able to discuss terms with those interested in his services around Europe, in China and the interest from the Middle East.
As Newcastle United look to tie Rafa Benitez to new deal within the next fortnight, as boss waits on assurances , Benitez is still waiting for answers on certain requests put to the club board earlier this month.
He has made it clear he is not demanding a big spending kitty insisting he doesn't want "£200million to spend" but instead wants more control on transfer deals and a slicker process when it comes to recruitment.
With Premier League safety all but assured, United have made it clear to Benitez he is the only manager they are talking to about being in charge beyond this season.
Indeed, despite approaches from agents offering the services of their clients, Newcastle have not looked at any other candidates at this stage.
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But there is an acknowledgement behind the scenes that United would have to move fast on an appointment IF Benitez does not stay.
That is an unthinkable scenario for fans but there will be just a couple of months between the end of this season and the closure of this year's transfer window - which shuts BEFORE the Premier League season even starts.
The current discussions revolve around whether Benitez will be prepared to compromise on certain issues.
Newcastle will continue to cut their cloth accordingly in the next window and Benitez may have to wheel and deal again to get some of the new faces he wants this summer.
Whether United will budge on the club's policy of wanting to sign younger players remains to be seen.
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