Rafael Benitez Talking with Anzhi Makhachkala for Coaching Job?

Rafael Benitez is understood to have held talks with Anzhi Makhachkala. The purpose of these talks is for Benitez to become the new coach of the club.

The news was publicized in Marca (the Spanish online newspaper) and RT (the international news and sports source from Russia). Anzhi has been under the guidance of caretaker managers Roberto Carlos and Andrey Gordeev since the departure of previous coach Gadzhi Gadzhiev.

Rafael Benitez has been looking for a team to coach since his departure from Inter Milan in 2010. Other candidates who have been linked with he club include Guus Hiddink, Arsene Wenger and Didier Deschamps.

Arsene Wenger and Didier Deschamps have not made any comments at the present time. Meanwhile, Guus Hiddink has expressed an interest in Anzhi if the club is willing to pay him $20 million.

The talks with Rafael Benitez have come as a surprise and thrown a new name in contention for the coaching position. It has squashed my previous opinion of Wenger or Deschamps taking the job.

Benitez has had the experience of winning two La Liga titles for Valencia and a UEFA Champions League trophy for Liverpool. It is hoped that he will accept the position but that remains to be seen.