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LONDON: Former Liverpool and Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez is considering returning to the Premier League and said he would make a decision about his future based on the type of project being presented to him by top-flight clubs in England.
Spaniard Benitez was in charge of Liverpool from 2004 to 2010. He reached the Champions League final twice and won Europe’s elite club competition in unforgettable style in 2005.
He coached Newcastle for four years between 2016 and 2019 before moving to China to take over Dalian Pro, which he left in January.
Reports in the British media have linked the former Real Madrid manager to Celtic’s hot seat, but Benitez said his focus was on the Premier League.
“The priority is England because I like the Premier League and my family is here,” Benítez told the British media. “But I want to compete. Or have a project that allows you to get closer and then compete.”
“If I would not like to stay in Europe; Spain is difficult, Italy, Germany is not easy. I can speak French, then France. In Spain, the clubs do not have money to compete against Real Madrid and Barcelona. So the priority would be whether England and then Europe.
“If it’s the right (job) in England, we can do it tomorrow. The project, the competitive team, is not there at the moment, so we wait. I’d like to wait to find the right one. But no. I don’t want to be left without work.”
Newcastle have struggled under Benitez’s replacement Steve Bruce with the club ranked 17th in the Premier League and in contention for relegation.
Benitez said it pained him to see Newcastle’s troubles this season, but backed the club to avoid a fall.
“I wish you all the best and I want you to stay awake,” he said.
