Brendan Rodgers & Rafa Benitez rule out taking charge of Newcastle

Brendan Rodgers and Rafa Benitez have ruled themselves out of the running to become Newcastle's next manager.

The Magpies haven't yet dismissed current incumbent Steve Bruce, but it's widely expected that the club will sack the 60-year-old after he takes charge of this Sunday's Premier League game against Tottenham - his 1,000th as a professional manager.

Many names have been linked with the St James' Park hot seat following the completion of a takeover led by a consortium made up PCP Capital Partners, David and Simon Reuben and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, but it's unclear at this stage whether or not the club will stick with current Newcastle coach Graeme Jones on an interim basis, once Bruce is dismissed.

Two candidates for the job, according to bookmakers and the press at least, were Rodgers and Benitez, but both have moved to distance themselves with a switch to the North East - despite the riches now on offer.

First, Rodgers told his press conference ahead of Leicester's clash with Manchester United on Saturday: "I'm 100 per cent committed. I've got a contract until 2025. I absolutely love being here and I'm fortunate.

"I've got a great chief executive who runs the club, a director of football who I've got a really close relationship with and a group of players I really enjoy working with. We have an infrastructure that allows us to really compete. As long as they don't want to move me on, I'm very happy here.

"I've seen all the reports and they don't help anyone. It's unfortunate, it's been the type of week I don't like in the modern game. All the managers and coaches work hard to do the best for their clubs and this sort of gossip goes around which can destabilise supporters. It doesn't benefit anyone at all."

Benitez, meanwhile, is a former Newcastle manager, having been in charge of the club for three years between 2016 and 2019. The Spaniard is a revered figure among supporters, but he too played down any notion of returning to the club - insisting that he's committed to current employers Everton.

“I think it’s not fair to talk too much about that," Benitez remarked to the media when asked about being linked with a return. “I am the Everton manager now, I am focused on that and I wish them all the best.

When pressed further, Benitez added: “I can tell you that I have a lot of friends and they were asking me the same question, a lot of messages.

“From day one, when I was talking to the board here, they didn’t need to worry about that because I decide to stay here, I am really happy.

“It’s just [a case] of trying to improve everything I can here, focus, and again I will say, wishing them all the best, but this time when I decide to stay here, I keep my word and continue working here.”