Rafa Benitez rejects Everton offer to replace Ronald Koeman as Toon boss sticks with Newcastle
Dutch Toffees boss has spent all summer spending money a slow side that is hanging around the relegation zone
RAFA BENITEZ has rejected an approach from Everton this week to take over at Goodison Park.
SunSport exclusively revealed on Sunday that Everton want the Newcastle boss to replace under-fire Ronald Koeman.
The struggling Dutchman, 54, is out of favour with Everton chief Farhad Moshiri, who has targeted the Spaniard as the man to revive the Toffees’ fortunes this season.
Benitez, 57, still has a family home on the Wirral and famously guided Merseyside rivals Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005.
Everton, who face Lyon at home on Thursday in the Europa League, are a lowly 16th in the Premier League.
And Koeman appears to be on his way out unless results improve dramatically.
Benitez has spoken repeatedly in recent months of his frustration at missing out on several summer transfer targets at Newcastle.
But, with Toon owner Mike Ashley having officially put the Toon up for sale, Everton were left disappointed by Benitez’s rejection of their offer.
Yesterday, Benitez told the press and his players to do their best to ignore the takeover talk.
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He said: "I try to concentrate on football and I think that is the best way.
"People can talk about all of these things that are happening but for us every training session is similar.
"When we approach each game we are thinking about football.
"We don’t have any influence from the outside. The problem is you can’t control what is going on outside.
"Especially now with social media, it is almost impossible.
"It is almost impossible to stop players from tweeting or people talking about anything.
"Even when people create their own stories, you can’t stop that.
"So you have to be sure that your team and the people who are working with you understand the only way to be successful is to concentrate on your football.
"That’s what we are trying to do."
