Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez splits with agent Manuel Garcia Quilon

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Rafael Benitez has parted company with his agent, Manuel Garcia Quilon, after a long working relationship.

The split is understood to be amicable and suggests that the former Real Madrid and Valencia boss may never return to La Liga.

Benitez has enjoyed success in England with Liverpool, most notably winning the Champions League in 2005, and Newcastle while he remains a long-term target of West Ham United. The feeling is that Rafa will remain in England for the foreseeable future - be that with Newcastle or not - and, as such, Quilon was not necessarily the best man to lean on in that market. Indeed, Benitez and his former Liverpool pair Luis Garcia and Pepe Reina are the rare Quilon clients that managed to settle in England.

Filipe Luis had a brief spell with Chelsea, Javi Garcia struggled with Manchester City and Borja Baston - Swansea City's record buy - flamed out and is now back in La Liga on loan after just one season in Wales.

Mike Ashley's decision to formally put Newcastle United up for sale last week means that Benitez's future still remains in the balance, with a new owner potentially set on bringing in their own man and the 57-year-old Spaniard prone to rifts with his superiors.

But those within the club want and expect Benitez to stay at the club, and he recently admitted he was excited by the significant financial backing that may accompany a new owner and Newcastle's potential to grow.

“The fans will be excited and the potential of the club is massive,” said Benitez, ahead of last weekend’s victory over Crystal Palace. “You can attract people [to buy the club] because of that.

“It's one of the top sides in England if you put everything together. The question is, is it reaching its level? Obviously, no. Can we do it? I think so.

“We have to do everything right. It's not just if you have money, you have to have the right players with the right mentality coming here.

"You have to put a lot of things together, if you have good staff, people working in advance you have more chance to do well.

“What is the level Newcastle should be at? A higher level than we are at the moment. I think we can do better. I don't want to say too much but this club has to be in the top 10.

“I don't say that because of the fans or the city, it's because you can see when you compare to other clubs you can see the potential is there.

“I will not say too much. For us, the manager and the players, we have to be sure we keep performing on the pitch and we will continue working and if something is going on, we will know [about it when the time is right]. And hopefully it will be fine and if not, still we have to have our plan ready just in case.”