Benitez To Manage Dalian Yifang

Rafael Benitez is looking forward to a “new challenge” after being announced as manager of Chinese side Dalian Yifang. The 59-year-old rejected the offer of a new deal at Newcastle and, after becoming a free agent on Sunday when his contract expired, has penned a deal in the Far East.

The Spanish tactician, who has managed clubs such as Liverpool, Read Madrid, Inter Milan and Valencia, took to Twitter to reveal his latest destination, tweeting: “After a long path We start a new challenge! I’m happy to begin this new project with Dalian Yifang.”

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The announcement of Benitez’s appointment comes just a day after Choi Kang-hee resigned from his post with the Blue Hawks. Born in Madrid, Benitez has embraced the life of a manager overseas, and he revealed in a letter to fans on Monday that he wanted to remain at St James’ Park.

And the man who began his managerial career coaching Real Madrid’s B team in 1993 has now elaborated on his thought to the Times. He said: “I wanted to stay, 100 per cent. I wanted to develop a project, to be competitive, to compete in the cups and to be as close as possible to the top of the league, but you have to have the tools.

“If you don’t, then you suffer, because you’re at the bottom of the table, every point is massive and you know that a mistake could mean relegation. That would be a disaster for the whole city. “If the people at the top of the club had the same ideas (as me), I would still be there.”