Rafa Benitez could shock Liverpool fans with a dramatic U-turn to spurn Juventus' advances.
The Anfield boss seemed on the verge of quitting this week, and there were even fears that the Spaniard could be gone before Sunday's final game of the season against Hull.
But Juve are wavering in their pursuit of the Liverpool manager, and have now changed the terms they have offered to the 50-year-old.
And sources close to the Spaniard have suggested that he may now turn down the Italian club, and instead concentrate his energies on securing assurances about his future at Anfield.
Juventus are becoming increasingly frustrated with the Spanish coach, after earlier talks that convinced them he would move to Turin.
They had offered him an unprecedented deal which would have ripped up the traditional model of Italian management, to instead allow him extended powers in the style of an English supremo, at a massive cost.
But since those initial talks, there has been a change in the power structure at the Turin club, and new president Andrea Agnelli has a very different view of how he wants the business to be run.
His first move was to appoint a director of football, which is anathema to Benitez, and was a role that he insisted couldn't exist if he is to become boss.
That director, Beppe Marotta, formerly of Sampdoria, is known to favour the appointment of an Italian coach, and has already sounded out Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti, and the highly regarded Sampdoria coach Cesare Prandelli.
Juve are still talking to Benitez, but they have reduced the role they will offer to that of a coach working with a director above him, and they also want to pay significantly less for the reduced role.
They have told Benitez that they will now refuse to pay a big compensation figure for him, and that he will have to get himself out of Anfield within the next few days with an agreement Liverpool will release him for nothing.
But the manager is having second thoughts about such a reduced role, and now he will consider staying at Anfield, if he can negotiate the terms he believes will allow him to resurrect his side's fortunes.
Benitez will speak to new chairman Martin Broughton before the weekend, after twice cancelling meetings with the executive, and he will look for clarification of the club's position.
The Spaniard is aware that Fernando Torres is likely to leave this summer, and he will demand the money from that sale - upwards of £70million - to spend on new players. He will also ask for any money from the possible sale of Steven Gerrard.
Benitez also seems likely to demand that he wrestles power at the club from MD Christian Purslow, who he wants to be restricted to a commercial role.
The Liverpool boss seems unlikely to go to Juventus even if Broughton can't meet his demands, but that does not mean he won't quit Anfield.
There has been interest in the Champions League winning coach from AC Milan, and if Jose Mourinho goes to Real Madrid, then he would be a contender for the Inter job.
The Anfield boss seemed on the verge of quitting this week, and there were even fears that the Spaniard could be gone before Sunday's final game of the season against Hull.
But Juve are wavering in their pursuit of the Liverpool manager, and have now changed the terms they have offered to the 50-year-old.
And sources close to the Spaniard have suggested that he may now turn down the Italian club, and instead concentrate his energies on securing assurances about his future at Anfield.
Juventus are becoming increasingly frustrated with the Spanish coach, after earlier talks that convinced them he would move to Turin.
They had offered him an unprecedented deal which would have ripped up the traditional model of Italian management, to instead allow him extended powers in the style of an English supremo, at a massive cost.
But since those initial talks, there has been a change in the power structure at the Turin club, and new president Andrea Agnelli has a very different view of how he wants the business to be run.
His first move was to appoint a director of football, which is anathema to Benitez, and was a role that he insisted couldn't exist if he is to become boss.
That director, Beppe Marotta, formerly of Sampdoria, is known to favour the appointment of an Italian coach, and has already sounded out Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti, and the highly regarded Sampdoria coach Cesare Prandelli.
Juve are still talking to Benitez, but they have reduced the role they will offer to that of a coach working with a director above him, and they also want to pay significantly less for the reduced role.
They have told Benitez that they will now refuse to pay a big compensation figure for him, and that he will have to get himself out of Anfield within the next few days with an agreement Liverpool will release him for nothing.
But the manager is having second thoughts about such a reduced role, and now he will consider staying at Anfield, if he can negotiate the terms he believes will allow him to resurrect his side's fortunes.
Benitez will speak to new chairman Martin Broughton before the weekend, after twice cancelling meetings with the executive, and he will look for clarification of the club's position.
The Spaniard is aware that Fernando Torres is likely to leave this summer, and he will demand the money from that sale - upwards of £70million - to spend on new players. He will also ask for any money from the possible sale of Steven Gerrard.
Benitez also seems likely to demand that he wrestles power at the club from MD Christian Purslow, who he wants to be restricted to a commercial role.
The Liverpool boss seems unlikely to go to Juventus even if Broughton can't meet his demands, but that does not mean he won't quit Anfield.
There has been interest in the Champions League winning coach from AC Milan, and if Jose Mourinho goes to Real Madrid, then he would be a contender for the Inter job.
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