Benitez happy at Anfield

Rafael Benitez’s agent insists the Liverpool manager has no intention of leaving the club at the end of the season despite being linked with the Real Madrid job.

Juan Ramon Lopez Caro has been appointed Real coach until the end of the campaign and the Spanish giants are in the process of assessing potential candidates to take over in the summer.

But despite a story in Spanish newspaper Marca today linking Benitez with the job, his agent Manuel Garcia Quilon insists he has yet to be approached.

“Yes, I have seen Marca’s front page today,” he told PA Sport.

“I’m not sure if Real Madrid are interested in Benitez but I do know that they haven’t made an offer.”

Benitez is a former Real youth coach and does hope to one day return to the Bernabeu, but his agent confirmed the 45-year-old is happy to stay at Anfield for the foreseeable future.

“He has three years left on his contract,” added Garcia Quilon.

“He’s very happy at Liverpool because he has received very good treatment from the club and the fans, and his intention is to continue to improve on the project he started when he joined them.”

Benitez guided Liverpool to European glory last year in his first season in charge, becoming the first coach to win the UEFA Cup and Champions League in successive seasons with different clubs.

The former Valencia coach began his coaching career with Madrid in 1986, progressing through the youth ranks and briefly working as the first-team’s assistant coach before leaving for Real Valladolid in 1995.