Abby Brammell

By John Edwards

Italian job: Benitez is in the frame for the Juve job


Rafa Benitez's agent left the door open for an approach by Juventus.

Under-fire Juve coach Ciro Ferrera is on the verge of being sacked after a third straight defeat, and the Liverpool manager is the preferred choice to revive their flagging fortunes.

Manuel Garcia Quilon, Benitez’s agent, refused to rule out a switch, saying: ‘Benitez to Juventus? In football, you never know. I do not know what will happen in four to five months. In football, everything changes quickly, but the basic principle is that Rafa still has a four-year contract with Liverpool.’

Though Benitez has repeatedly expressed his loyalty to Liverpool, and particularly appreciates continued backing from fans, he could be tempted by a move to Serie A.

He is a close friend of recently-appointed director Roberto Bettega, an influential figure in the Juventus boardroom, and sees the job as one of the biggest in Europe.

Liverpool co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett recently voiced their support for Benitez but continue to deny him funds.

Even Monday’s £310million sale of Hicks’s Texas Rangers baseball team failed to improve matters, with Benitez admitting he still had to sell before he could buy.


source: dailymail