What David Sullivan said about Rafa Benitez becoming West Ham manager in the past does not bode well for Manuel Pellegrini

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When Rafa Benitez came close to becoming West Ham United boss in 2015 David Sullivan went public with his views.

West Ham are once again being linked with a move to make Benitez their manager.

The former Liverpool and Newcastle boss – currently in China with mediocre outfit 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).

Close but no Rafa

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).

And the links to Benitez carry some weight after past comments from West Ham co-owner David Sullivan.

The divisive West Ham chief told The Sun in 2016 that he came within two hours of announcing Benitez as Hammers manager. As most West Ham fans know a late call from Real Madrid scuppered those plans.

But it is Sullivan’s public comments on Benitez that have become very relevant all of a sudden as the new speculation intensifies.

Sullivan’s past comments do not bode well for Pellegrini

“We were two hours from getting Benitez and then Real came in,” Sullivan told The Sun during the days where he seemed to discuss West Ham’s business in public on a weekly basis.

“We had agreed a contract and everything.

“Benitez is a top manager whatever anybody says and I think he’d have done a wonderful job for us.”

The Spaniard only last six months at Real.

No surprise to see Benitez at West Ham soon

But that cannot be any realistic barometer for any manager.

The job Benitez went on to to do at Newcastle only underlined his qualities.

If Pellegrini does not manage to turn things around at West Ham, it would be no surprise to see him finally end up in East London.

Whether his pragmatic style would be a hit with the Hammers faithful is another thing entirely.

Lose to Spurs this weekend and we might be one step closer to finding out.