The big takeaway from L’Equipe’s Friday article on Newcastle United interest in Bruno Genesio, is that the manager is unlikely to take the job even if Rafael Benitez leaves his post.
The French newspaper explain that Genesio ‘knows what he wants’ and that’s to stay with the ‘club of his heart’.
Jean-Michel Aulas, the French club’s president, has been openly speaking about the managerial situation for time.
At times he’s hinted there could be a change, with Aulas long enjoying playing games with the media, but recently his words have suggested that Genesio could stay beyond the end of the current campaign.
Protecting himself, the manager recently spoke with agent Pini Zahavi to make it clear that if he leaves Lyon then he’ll be looking for another opportunity, and that’s where Newcastle came in.
It’s explained that whilst Newcastle’s priority is to extend Benitez’s contract, they’re protecting themselves against an exit and looking at other options. To do this they’ve decided to work with Zahavi, who has been the one pushing Genesio.
However, it’s made clear that Newcastle are not ‘deflecting’ the Lyon boss from his ‘first wish’. He’s ‘convinced’ his time at the Ligue 1 club isn’t over.
Zahavi will almost certainly have other options for Newcastle.
