Rafa Benitez has not travelled to Newcastle’s clash against Swansea after failing to recover from hernia operation

RAFA BENITEZ will not travel to take charge of his Newcastle United side at Swansea on Sunday.

The Spaniard is recovering from an operation to heel an infection from a previous hernia op.

He has been battling to recover in time for the Premier League clash this lunchtime.

But Sky Sports claim that his health has not improved enough for him to take charge of the North East side at the Liberty Stadium.

Magpies chairman Mike Ashley had offered the ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid boss the chance to fly from his home in Merseyside in a helicopter to South Wales.

Benitez used the international break to undergo a medical procedure to deal with an infection he picked up from a hernia op two years ago.

The 57-year-old has been unable to take training this week as he recovered from the surgery.

However, the severity of the operation has now ruled him out of the 4pm visit to the Swans with his assistant Francisco De Miguel Moreno now leading the side.

Benitez, who was forced to miss a game for Liverpool at Arsenal while in charge at Anfield, was desperate to take charge of his young side.

After a poor start and miserable transfer window, Newcastle finally got off the mark since their return to the top-flight last time out.

And they will be hoping to build on that 3-0 victory over West Ham against Paul Clement’s side.

The summer transfer window was one the craziest we have ever seen.

Take a look at the most profitable transfers of ALL time.

And here are the Premier League players whose wages made them the most expensive per minute played.

Keep up to date with all the latest news, gossip, rumours and done deals in SunSport’s LIVE transfer blog