Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles has insisted that the Magpies 'must keep Rafael Benitez happy' amid speculation surrounding the Spaniard's future.
Benitez could lead Newcastle to a top-10 finish in the Premier League table this season, but the Spaniard only has one year left to run on his contract at St James' Park.
The former Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid boss has said that he "will have more talks with the club" this summer, and Lascelles has spoken of the importance of keeping the 58-year-old.
"I can't emphasise how important it is. Since he's been here, the club has been on the rise. He's got the club together, the city together, and everything has been positive," Lascelles told Sky Sports News.
"The players love him, a manager of that level who's been at big clubs and won trophies, you've got to do all you can to hold onto him. Look how he's got us playing.
"People say we wouldn't gel together and we're a Championship side, well if that's the case then the manager has got us all together and we're sat in the middle of the table.
"As players, we've got to cross the white line but we follow instructions from somewhere, and that's the gaffer. The club have got to keep him happy."
Newcastle will finish their 2017-18 Premier League campaign at home to Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.
Matt Law
