Rafael Benitez has been linked with Leeds United, and the Elland Road outfit’s hierarchy will be encouraged to hear what the out-of-work manager said about his future at the weekend.
Leeds are on the hunt for a new manager after sacking Jesse Marsch.
The West Yorkshire club are in real danger of getting relegated from the Premier League to the Championship at the end of the season.
Benitez is without a managerial job at the moment.
And the former Liverpool and Everton manager has been linked with Leeds.
Earlier this month, The Guardian noted that former Newcastle United manager Benitez ‘has friends in the Leeds boardroom’.
The report, though, did add that the Spaniard ‘may not be the right tactical fit for Orta, who favours a high-intensity pressing game’.
Benitez was working for Sky Sports at the weekend, and he was asked about his future.
The former Valencia boss said that he is ready to return to management, adding that the Premier League is where he would like to work again.
And it will encourage Leeds, in case they have to end up knocking on Benitez’s door.
Leeds United-linked Rafael Benitez on his future
Benitez said on Sky Sports Premier League (8:30pm, February 18, 2023), as transcribed by NewcastleWorld: “I said it so many times, it depends, you need a project.
“I was lucky enough to manage a lot of teams and then because I did that and I won some trophies I can say ‘ok I don’t like this one, I like this one’.
“My problem is I am fine and happy in England in terms of the Premier League, my family, everything.
“Sometimes you make decisions that are a risk, but the reality is the Premier League is the best league in the world and I want to be around. I want to be in Europe.
“I have things in China, in South Korea, in Mexico, but you need a project with all of the experience I have and my staff has, because they are quite good on these kind of things, so we can analyse things and we can use our experience to build something.
“We were talking before about projects, a project now is three weeks, not three years. Then you are under pressure so we need some time and the right project.”
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