Newcastle United are back in the Premier League and fans are optimistic for the future after Rafael Benitez agreed to stay at St James’ Park following the club’s promotion.

The Spanish coach, who began the 2015-16 campaign in charge of Real Madrid, has ensured the Magpies will be playing top-flight football once again after masterminding the team’s Championship title triumph.

Newcastle picked up 94 points last season, winning 29 of their 46 matches and scoring 85 goals in the process.

It was reported back in May that Benitez had been handed up to £100 million to spend on new players this summer following “positive” discussions with owner Mike Ashley.

This meant there was a very high chance that Newcastle would finally, after 12 years of waiting, break their transfer record.

Michael Owen will no longer be Newcastle's record signing

Michael Owen remains the club’s record signing following his £17 million transfer from Real Madrid in August 2005.

Plenty of players have been signed since then but none of them have commanded a bigger transfer fee than the retired England international who currently works as a pundit for BT Sport.

Newcastle's record signing will be...

However, Owen is about to lose his status as Newcastle’s record signing, according to the Mirror.

It’s understood that the club are closing in on a £17.5 million deal for the Greek midfielder Andreas Samaris.

What will he bring to the table?

Unless you’re particularly familiar with Greek football or watch Benfica, Samaris’s current employers, you won’t know an awful lot about the 28-year-old.

The Mirror describe the Greece international as a “powerful midfielder” and claim that Benitez has been working on a deal for the star for the past six weeks.

He joined Benfica in an £8.8 million deal from Olympiacos in 2014 and has won the Portuguese league title every season since.

Benitez is now in full control of transfers

News of Samaris’ imminent arrival comes just days after it was announced that the club’s long-serving chief scout Graham Carr left the club on Wednesday night.

Carr’s departure has increased Benitez’s power at St James’ Park. The 57-year-old now has total control of new signings and has identified Samaris as his first major summer acquisition.

Sunderland were strongly linked with Samaris in March

Interestingly, it was reported back in March that Samaris was on the verge of joining Newcastle’s local rivals Sunderland.

However, after the two teams switched divisions this summer, he’ll be wearing black and white next season rather than red and white.

Watch: Samaris in action

Here’s a YouTube compilation video of Samaris in action for Benfica…

Looks decent, doesn’t he.