Rafael Benitez refuses to discuss Newcastle United takeover

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has refused to discuss talk of a takeover at the club following his side's 3-2 defeat to Leicester City at St James' Park this evening.

Negotiations over the sale of the club between much-maligned owner Mike Ashley and prospective buyer Amanda Staveley are understood to have reached an impasse, with Staveley demanding a decision on her reported £250m offer before Christmas.

Benitez was questioned over the latest news from the boardroom following his side's late defeat to Leicester, during which Ayoze Perez scored an own goal in the 86th minute to leave the Magpies only two points clear of the relegation zone.

"After a game is not the time for me to talk about that. What I can say is the players, they put in an effort on the pitch, but still we have to improve if we want to get three points in these kind of games," Benitez told reporters.

"We have paid in the past two or three games for easy mistakes and we have to learn quickly."

Newcastle are now winless in their last seven Premier League games, picking up only one point from a possible 21 in that time.