SOCCER NEWS:RAFAEL BENITEZ is close to becoming the new manager of the European champions Internazionale five days after agreeing a €7.2 million deal to leave Liverpool.
His agent, Manuel Garcia Quilon, held positive talks with representatives of the Italian club yesterday afternoon and the Inter president, Massimo Moratti, has indicated a deal to bring the 50-year-old to Milan is imminent.
“The next few hours could be decisive,” Moratti said. “But we must ask [the technical director] Marco Branca.”
It is believed Benitez has been offered a three-year contract to succeed Jose Mourinho at San Siro. The former Valencia coach would earn €5m per season should he accept the chance to inherit his former Chelsea adversary’s treble-winning side.
Benitez was given an initial €3.6m, with a further €3.6m in instalments, by Liverpool officials last week to end his six-year spell at Anfield “by mutual consent”.
As Internazionale’s swift approach reveals, Benitez’s reputation remains high despite his frequent disputes with the Liverpool hierarchy and the club’s seventh-placed finish in the Premier League last season. The Spaniard had previously resisted an offer from Juventus to move to Serie A.
Negotiations with Internazionale have advanced to the stage of discussing Benitez’s backroom team. He is expected to take the Liverpool first-team coach Mauricio Pellegrino, the goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero and the fitness coach Paco de Miguel with him to San Siro, while the Italian Amedeo Carboni, who played under Benitez as a midfielder at Valencia, is also likely to be added to the coaching team. The Liverpool assistant manager, Sammy Lee, remains at Anfield.
Liverpool’s own search for a new manager is expected to lead to an approach for Fulham’s Roy Hodgson, who has a €3m release clause in his 12-month rolling contract at Craven Cottage and is on holiday. There has been no official move for the 62-year-old as yet.
ShareLiverpoolFC, the supporters’ group attempting to buy into the Anfield club, has announced it has raised the funds required to underwrite the costs of a full share issue. The plan, which involves a minimum €600 investment, has more than 35,000 registered supporters whose pledges could purchase a €48.5m stake in Liverpool.
Dr Rogan Taylor, a founder member, said: “ShareLiverpoolFC board will now look to specify a date for a share issue later this summer. This is a serious and rigorously professional undertaking and we believe our core aspiration is both desirable and deliverable. This is our time. It presents the best – and perhaps the only chance – of fans gaining control or at the very least a significant equity stake in the club.”
Mourinho, meanwhile, is looking for two or three major signings for Real Madrid, the club president, Florentino Perez, said last night. Real have been linked with several players including Inter’s Brazil right back Maicon, Sevilla’s Spain winger Jesus Navas and Benfica’s Argentina midfielder Angel Di Maria. Perez also said the club were tracking Bordeaux’s France midfielder Yoann Gourcuff.
- Guardian Service
