According to SkySports’ Spanish correspondent Guillem Balague, our former boss Rafa Benitez has been approached by Valencia about the possibility of replacing the under-pressure Gary Neville.
Neville was already feeling the heat after failing to win a league game in eight attempts since he took over on 2nd December – but this week’s 7-0 loss to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final has supposedly put him on the brink of an early exit.
Rafa, of course, was Valencia’s manager before he moved to Liverpool. During his first spell he won two La Liga titles and the UEFA Cup, making him hugely popular with the fanbase.
He would not be able to take charge until the summer, however. La Liga rules prevent managers from managing two different clubs in one season.
“Valencia’s new director of football, Garcia Pitarch, has contacted Rafa,” said Balague. “One problem with that possibility is that Valencia owner Peter Lim is friends with Jorge Mendes, the super-agent who built the side. Mendes is also Jose Mourinho’s agent, and we all know the relationship Jose and Rafa had.”
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If Rafa does take over we wish him the very best of luck.