Chinese Super League clubs are ready to make Rafa Benitez the highest-paid manager in the world.
Two sides are willing to offer the Spaniard a staggering £30million-plus-a-year deal if he leaves Newcastle in the summer.
The £600,000-a-week salary would far eclipse the £11m a year that ex-Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is on with Shanghai SIPG and the £4m a year that ex-England manager Sven Goran Eriksson is paid by Shenzhen.
It would also put the Toon boss on a par with Carlos Tevez, who earns £632,000 a week.
Benitez was said to be furious over Newcastle’s failure to make any signings in the January transfer window.
That has alerted China, who want to lure him with the promise of a mind-boggling salary and an unlimited transfer budget.
Benitez, who agreed a revised three-year contract with Newcastle last summer despite relegation, has not given any assurances that he will be in charge next season.
Seen as a candidate to replace Arsene Wenger, Benitez says his sole focus is securing promotion, but he will seek talks with Mike Ashley’s regime at the end of the season.