Sampdoria are said to be in talks with with former Inter Milan and Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez to become their new manager, despite still having Giuseppe Iachini currently occupy that position.
Iachini, who led Samp to promotion at the first attempt, is seemingly set to lose his job as club owner Riccardo Garrone has his sights set on Rafa.
Garrone is reported to have said:
“There have been contacts with Benitez. But it’s a work in progress.”
Rafa’s agent Manuel Garcia Quilon dismissed the speculation that his client was close to moving to Sampdoria saying:
“There is nothing with Sampdoria. Nothing at all – 100%. I repeat: there’s no chance. Benitez is currently in England, and his intention is to coach in the Premier League.”
However, sporting director Pasquale Sensibile met an associate of Benitez in London earlier this week and said on Tuesday:
“We have to wait a couple of days. For now it is only an idea, although it is a nice idea. The meeting with this person was a way to understand if this idea and this dream can become a reality.
“We have some more hope. I am moderately optimistic because I have noted that many ideas are similar, but right now the deal has not yet started.”
ormer England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who led Samp from 1992 to 1997, feels Benitez would be a good appointment.
“He’s the right man to take my old team to the top,” Eriksson said. “That a good thing because Sampdoria should always be contenders.”