Dalian Professional manager Rafa Benitez has been linked with an interest in becoming Newcastle United boss post-takeover, with the Spaniard reportedly eyeing an emotional return to St. James’ Park.

The Magpies are expected to have new owners this week, with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund looking to complete a £300 million takeover.

Their bid is being fronted by Amanda Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners, and the businesswoman is a huge fan of Benitez.

The former Newcastle manager is very popular with the fans, and a lot of them would love to see the Champions League-winning tactician return.

However, The Athletic’s George Caulkin reckons getting it done could be very complicated, reacting thus to Benitez’s potential return on Twitter:

It’s an incredibly complicated situation, from his very lucrative contract at Dalian, to the position in China itself, which is not at all clear. There’s also someone in the job at the moment – and he will stay put for the time being.

— George Caulkin (@GeorgeCaulkin) May 25, 2020

The 60-year-old currently earns an annual salary of £12million, after tax, at the Chinese Super League outfit, double of what he earned at Newcastle.

The Magpies would-be owners are ready to offer Mauricio Pochettino £19 million a year, though, but that amounts to around £10 million a year after tax.

Benitez’s wages and the cost of his Dalian pay-off remain huge obstacles to his chances of returning to Newcastle, and it remains to be seen if the new owners would be willing to bankroll it.