Rafael Benítez’s future was thrown into further doubt today after rumours circulated suggesting the Liverpool manager has been given a ten-day ultimatum by Italian giants Juventus, who want the 49-year-old to take over in Turin next season.
A report in The Times today suggests the Serie A club have given the former Valencia boss just ten days in which to respond to their advances, piling the pressure on Benítez who is faced with an uncertain future at Anfield after Tom Hicks and George Gillett opened the floor to potential buyers this week.
Juventus will face tough competition for the Spaniard if they intend on bringing him to Italy this summer, with Benítez rumoured to be top of Real Madrid’s shortlist of potential new managers, above Inter boss Jose Mourinho and England manager Fabio Capello.
Of course, Benítez may chose to stay on at Anfield, especially when you consider the manager has four years left on his Liverpool contract and has secured the long-term deals of key players including Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina.
But should Benítez seal an Anfield departure at the end of the season it will send shock-waves through the rest of European football, especially if the Champions League-winning boss decides to head for the Bernabéu.
A move away from Merseyside would leave the 18-times English League winners searching for a new manager in the midst of one of the biggest ownership crises seen in English football.
With little financial backing and an uncertain future it would no doubt be hard for Liverpool to attract a top manager, leaving question marks over whether Benítez, regardless of this disappointing season, is the best man for the job.
Clearly if he moves to either Juventus or Madrid it will leave the other club without their first choice appointment, with Real’s second choice reportedly being the current Inter manager Jose Mourinho, who is allegedly sick of life in Milan.
So should Benítez decide leave Anfield at the end of this season it will leave at least two clubs searching for a new manager, and it could result in three giants of European football all in the hunt for new coaches this summer.
A report in The Times today suggests the Serie A club have given the former Valencia boss just ten days in which to respond to their advances, piling the pressure on Benítez who is faced with an uncertain future at Anfield after Tom Hicks and George Gillett opened the floor to potential buyers this week.
Juventus will face tough competition for the Spaniard if they intend on bringing him to Italy this summer, with Benítez rumoured to be top of Real Madrid’s shortlist of potential new managers, above Inter boss Jose Mourinho and England manager Fabio Capello.
Of course, Benítez may chose to stay on at Anfield, especially when you consider the manager has four years left on his Liverpool contract and has secured the long-term deals of key players including Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina.
But should Benítez seal an Anfield departure at the end of the season it will send shock-waves through the rest of European football, especially if the Champions League-winning boss decides to head for the Bernabéu.
A move away from Merseyside would leave the 18-times English League winners searching for a new manager in the midst of one of the biggest ownership crises seen in English football.
With little financial backing and an uncertain future it would no doubt be hard for Liverpool to attract a top manager, leaving question marks over whether Benítez, regardless of this disappointing season, is the best man for the job.
Clearly if he moves to either Juventus or Madrid it will leave the other club without their first choice appointment, with Real’s second choice reportedly being the current Inter manager Jose Mourinho, who is allegedly sick of life in Milan.
So should Benítez decide leave Anfield at the end of this season it will leave at least two clubs searching for a new manager, and it could result in three giants of European football all in the hunt for new coaches this summer.
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