Juventus bid to poach Benitez
Published 23:00 25/01/10 By David Maddock
Juventus are ready to exploit Rafael Benitez's uncertain Anfield future by making a move for the Spaniard.
And last night, the manager's agent did little to quash the speculation when he insisted that he could not rule out the switch.
Manuel Garcia Quilon insisted that he couldn't rule out anything in the future for Benitez.
"Benitez to Juventus? In football you never know. I don't know what will happen in four to five months. In football everything changes quickly," he said.
"The basic principal is that Rafa still has a four-year contract with Liverpool. At this precise moment the idea is not correct, because he is a very important figure to the Liverpool fans - the idols of the fans are Gerrard, Torres, and Benitez. But you never know what will happen."
The Italian club have made it clear they will sack current boss Ciro Ferrara this week, after another disastrous defeat to Roma at the weekend left his position untenable.
Already, Juve have had an approach for former Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink turned down, and now sources at the club suggest Benitez will become the number one target.
There is a feeling in Turin that the Liverpool manager has become unhappy in England, after making clear his frustrations at what he perceives as a lack of backing from his board.
Only yesterday, Benitez was at pains to point out that he has been forced to sell before he can buy at Anfield in recent seasons, and behind the scenes he has not hidden his dissatisfaction at the curb on his previously healthy spending.
He has also come under increasing pressure during a frustrating campaign in which Liverpool have failed to live up to the expectation that greeted them when he season got underway.
His side have crashed out of the title race, the Champions' League, the FA and league cups, and are even struggling to retain the top four berth that guarantees big European money next season.
That has left him facing almost weekly questions about his future, but it has not diminished the admiration felt in Turin about the manager who can speak Italian alongside English and his native Spanish.
The board at Liverpool refused to get excited about the clamour in Italy last night, and if there is an approach then they will reiterate their stance in the face of Benitez to be sacked this season - that the matter is not even on the agenda.
There is an awareness amongst senior figures at the club that this is not the first time the Spaniard has been linked to a big foreign team when he has come under pressure at Anfield, with his agent playing up the connection.
The belief is that Benitez will try to tough it out at Liverpool and attempt to strengthen the undoubted support he enjoys amongst the fans.
The club's American owners have made clear their belief in their manager, and only if he fails to steer his side to a top four finish will they consider his future.
