West Ham United are once again being linked with a move to make Rafa Benitez their manager.
The former Liverpool and Newcastle boss – currently with Chinese side Dalian Yifang – has been persistently linked with the Hammers in the last few years.
Speculation has been rife this week too as West Ham stand at a crossroads over the future of under pressure boss Manuel Pellegrini (Daily Mail).
Benitez revealed how he came “close” to taking over as manager of West Ham before an 11th hour call from Real Madrid in 2015 (The Mirror).
Sullivan: ‘We were two hours away from getting Benitez’
And West Ham co-owner David Sullivan told The Sun in 2016 just how close Benitez came to becoming Hammers boss.
“We were two hours from getting Benitez and then Real came in,” Sullivan told The Sun.
“We had agreed a contract and everything.”
Now a new report from Sky Sports News sources has delivered an update on the speculation linking the Spaniard with West Ham.
New report makes Rafa claim
The report claims Benitez IS keen to return to the Premier League ‘amid West Ham links’. But his return is not imminent.
“No approach has been made to Rafa Benitez about a possible return to the Premier League this season, Sky Sports News reports.
“Benitez remains focused on making a success of his time in China but expects to manage in England again, possibly as soon as next season.
‘Unfinished business’
“The Spaniard, who earns £12m a year after tax as manager of Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang, was linked with West Ham on Tuesday.
“His family remain based in the North West and Benitez was recently quoted as saying he has “unfinished business” in the Premier League.”
Defeat to Tottenham on Saturday and West Ham might just expedite their reported interest.
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