Rafa Benitez insists he’s focused on Newcastle despite talk he will replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal

RAFA BENITEZ says reports linking him to Arsenal will not weaken his focus on Newcastle’s promotion bid.

The Spaniard insists speculation never distracts him – despite talk that he will replace Arsene Wenger next summer and bring in Gunners legend Thierry Henry as coach.

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Benitez took over the Magpies last March, failing to keep them up but ending with a six-game unbeaten run.

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This season, though, the former Liverpool, Inter and Real Madrid boss has guided the Toon to 66 points from 31 games in the Championship, one clear of second-placed Brighton.

Ex-Arsenal striker and SunSport columnist Ian Wright has predicted Wenger will leave in the summer.

But Benitez claims the Toon are his only concern.

He said: “I’m the manager for Newcastle playing against Norwich and then the next games.

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‘That’s it, so I’m just focused on that. As a manager you are used to have clubs talking and the media talking so what you have to do is just concentrate on your job.”

And Benitez is also uncertain over Wenger‘s future.

Asked if he thought it would be Wenger’s final term, the one-time interim Chelsea boss said: ‘I don’t know.

“I have a good relationship with him. I think he’s a good manager, and that he’s doing a great job, but that is not my concern.”

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