Rafa Benitez’s telling reponse to questions about his meeting with Mike Ashley at Newcastle United

Ashley, the club’s owner, met Benitez for talks at St James’s Park after last weekend’s 3-0 win over Cardiff City.

Benitez – who has refused to discuss transfers since admitting he was “worried” after Newcastle’s Boxing Day defeat to Liverpool – wouldn’t reveal much about the “private conversation” with Ashley, who has been pushing the 58-year-old to sign a new deal for the past 12 months.

However, United’s manager – who will leave the club in the summer when his contract expires if he is not backed in this month’s transfer window – says the situation has not changed.

Asked if he was happier after speaking to Ashley, Benitez said: “I’m exactly the same.

“I don’t need to talk about what we were talking about, because it was a private conversation.

“But, more or less, we’re in the same situation. We have to wait.”

Asked by the Gazette if he was still worried, Benitez said: “We are where we are, so we will see.”

Ashley – who put Newcastle up for sale in October 2017 – congratulated Benitez and his players on the Cardiff win.

The result lifted the club out of the Premier League’s relegation zone.

“We had a good conversation,” said Benitez.

“We were talking about Cardiff, the three points and everything. It’s fine, but still we are where we are.”

Newcastle abandoned a move for Lazio left-back Jordan Lukaku last night. The 24-year-old had travelled to Tyneside for a medical.

“We just keep working on what we can try to do in the window,” said Benitez, who also wants to sign a No 10 and a winger.