Rafael Benitez is a shock candidate to replace Ronald Koeman as manager at Everton – but will he really leave Newcastle United?
With Ronald Koeman struggling to get the Everton revolution off the ground, The Sun reports that the big-spending Toffees may be willing to entrust the club’s future in the hands of a bonafide Liverpool legend.
The report claims that Everton are drawing up a list of candidates who could possibly replace Koeman at Goodison Park – with Rafael Benitez at the top of the list.
On paper, their interest makes sense. Benitez did an excellent job across the city, winning the Champions League and an FA Cup, and still has a house on Merseyside. Furthermore, Everton’s majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, who spent £140 million in the summer, looks like a far better partner for Benitez than penny-pinching Newcastle owner Mike Ashley.
Nonetheless, the ambitious Benitez still has a job to do at Newcastle and appears at one with the city and its supporters. Though one player who will be praying for the Spaniard’s return to Merseyside is seldom-seen midfielder James McCarthy.
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The Chronicle reported in the summer that Newcastle are long-time admirers of the Republic of Ireland international. And Benitez admitted he thought McCarthy was a ‘good player’ when quizzed about the club’s interest in the summer – though Everton’s £25 million price tag means a deal quickly became unfeasible.
With McCarthy out of favour under Koeman, he would surely welcome the prospect of Benitez rocking up at Goodison Park. The former Wigan man has suffered plenty of injuries in the last few years but, even when fit, he still appears some way down Koeman’s pecking order.
McCarthy had not made a single league appearance for The Toffees all season, but was still considered fit enough to be called up by Ireland for the recent World Cup qualifiers, for example.
And, with The Mail reporting that McCarthy could be sold in January, it could be that only the appointment of Benitez can save the midfielder’s Everton career.
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