There are growing reports Rafa Benitez will leave Napoli next summer for Real Madrid with Luciano Spalletti his most likely replacement.
The Coach addressed his lack of a contract renewal in a Press conference before the 1-0 home defeat to Chievo on Sunday.
There are growing reports Rafa Benitez will leave Napoli next summer for Real Madrid with Luciano Spalletti his most likely replacement.
The Coach addressed his lack of a contract renewal in a Press conference before the 1-0 home defeat to Chievo on Sunday.
Benitez said President Aurelio De Laurentiis would “go to America now, but as soon as he’s back we will discuss a contract renewal and see if it is possible to continue together.”
There are already numerous suggestions in Italian media that they’ve decided this will be their last season together.
According to Sport Mediaset, Benitez already has a huge job lined up for next term, as he’s finally ready to accept the courtship of Real Madrid.
“Rafa was for two consecutive years given the chance to become Coach of Real Madrid. We received a very interesting proposal from the Blancos five years ago and the year before that,” agent Manuel Garcia Quilon declared earlier this month.
“In order to convince him to accept the offer, Florentino Perez flew out in person with a private jet to England. He tried, without success, to convince Rafa’s wife Montse to follow her husband in this new adventure.
“However, as Rafa had just renewed his contract with Liverpool and is a man of his word, he turned down the offer from his beloved Real Madrid despite the fact it was the best economic and sporting proposal he’d ever received.”
There are currently problems between Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti, who is back under pressure just months after lifting the Champions League.
A poor start to La Liga has seen fans call for the Real owners to make changes and Benitez could well make it third time lucky.
As for Napoli, there are already several options being bandied about by the Italian media.
Roberto Mancini and current Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Montella are the favourites, but Sport Mediaset insist ex-Zenit manager Spalletti is the one to watch.