Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is perceived to be on the verge of being appointed new manager of their Merseyside rivals Everton.
Toffees has been looking for a new man at the helm since Carlo Ancelotti made the shock announcement that he would leave Goodison Park to rejoin Real Madrid.
The Italian spent just 18 months at Everton and although he managed to attract a few star names to the club, he was only able to collect a disappointing tenth place in his only full season. Since the news of Ancelotti’s departure broke, Toffees has been linked with a number of names, including former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo, ex-Lyon boss Rudi Garcia and recently sacked Lille coach Christophe Galtier.
Two names who have been thrown into the mix that have caused a stir on the blue half of Merseyside are Liverpool legends Steve Gerrard and Benitez, and TalkSport now reports that the latter is about to be named the new Everton boss.
Benitez has been out of work since returning from China where he was responsible for Dalian Professional. The Spaniard cited health problems as the reason he returned to Europe, with Asia struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rafael Benítez previously led Premier League sides Newcastle, Chelsea and Liverpool / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
Prior to his time in the Far East, Benitez had managed a number of high-profile clubs across Europe, including Real Madrid, Inter and Napoli, and made a name for himself on British beaches by managing Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool.
His time with the Reds will make his seemingly inevitable appointment as Everton manager a hugely unpopular decision. Although he could not lead Liverpool to the Premier League title, Benitez led the club to two Champions League finals including their famous triumph in 2005 when they came from 3-0 at half-time to beat Milan in Istanbul.
