Sunday, January 31, 2010

Juventus Lawyers On Case As Italian Giants Keen To Lure Rafael Benítez


Juventus have instructed their lawyers to examine Rafael Benítez's Liverpool contract as the Italian side attempt to put together a package to tempt him to Serie-A in the summer.

Ciro Ferrara, the manager at the Olympic Stadium, is likely to be dismissed today after a run of eight defeats in 11 games prior to last night's Coppa Italia tie against Inter Milan. Claudio Gentile, the former Juventus player and Italian Under-21 coach, is expected to replace him until the end of the campaign.

The club's directors, though, are believed to have identified the Liverpool manager as their favoured replacement on a long-term basis after interest in Guus Hiddink, the former Chelsea coach, cooled because of the Dutchman's wage demands and his inability to speak Italian.

Juventus's power brokers met the club's lawyers on Tuesday to assess the likelihood of Benítez being convinced to end his six-year reign at Anfield in the summer. The club had considered attempting to lure Benítez to Italy this month but believed the Spaniard would not contemplate leaving Liverpool in the middle of the season.

The Spaniard earns £4.8 million a year before tax under the terms of his Liverpool contract, agreed until 2014 after protracted negotiations just 10 months ago. It is a salary Juventus would not be able to match, though more relaxed tax laws would allow the Italian side to offer Benítez a net salary of £2.5 million a year.

The prospect of Benítez demanding his substantial coaching staff accompany him to Italy presents a further obstacle, though Juventus have been informed the Spaniard would only wish to bring three or four key lieutenants with him.

Juventus believe Benítez would be willing to appoint an Italian assistant manager, an important nod to the club's tradition and identified as a key negotiating point when Jose Mourinho joined Inter in 2008.

Indeed, so determined are the Italian side to land Benítez that they are prepared to bid for Dirk Kuyt, the Dutch international forward, should the Spaniard want him to move as well. He would join Mohamed Sissoko, the former Liverpool player, in Turin.

Benítez, who signed Sissoko for both Valencia and Liverpool, had identified him as his favoured replacement for Javier Mascherano, when the Argentinian was close to leaving for Barcelona last summer.

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