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Rafael Benítez Admits He Was Close to Being Appointed West Ham Manager Before Newcastle Reign

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benítez has admitted he was close to being appointed West Ham boss back in May 2015.

The Spaniard, who managed to keep the Magpies in the league and secure a tenth placed finish in his first full Premier League campaign with the Toon last season, has been the subject of much speculation linking him with the east London outfit in recent years.

The two sides met each other on Saturday, the Hammers winning 3-0, and Benítez explained just how close he was to joining the London side after resigning from Napoli in 2015.