Exclusive: Nottingham Forest’s ‘concrete’ Rafael Benitez plan revealed
Nottingham Forest have a “concrete” interest in Rafael Benitez as they explore alternatives to Ange Postecoglou, sources have told Football Insider.
Forest will stick with Postecoglou for the return of the Premier League next week, but he must oversee an upturn in results to keep his job.
Sources say Benitez, 65, is now the leading contender should Forest make a managerial change. The club’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, is a big admirer of Fulham boss Marco Silva, as first revealed by Football Insider, but the cost of compensation is a major hurdle to any deal during the season.
That has opened the door to Benitez making a sensational return to the Premier League.
The former Liverpool, Newcastle, Everton and Chelsea manager has said he is keen for another managerial post, and his CV is believed to be attractive to Marinakis and the Forest hierarchy.
Ange Postecoglou is under crushing pressure at Nottingham Forest
Forest stars are said to be unhappy with the current situation, as they struggle to keep track of the constant changes, with the Reds currently without a win in Postecoglou’s opening seven games in charge.
This form has left the team 17th in the Premier League table, just one point above the relegation zone, and after losing to Midtjylland in the Europa League, Forest fans were singing for Postecoglou to be sacked.
Multiple candidates have emerged over the last couple of weeks, with Benitez now appearing to join the race, but he has been out of work since Celta Vigo sacked him in March 2024.
He was, and very much still is, a much-loved figure at Anfield, and so too at St James’ Park, though his reign with Everton lasted just seven months.
Forest’s injury issues continue to rise for Postecoglou
Forest’s clash with Chelsea after the international break could be crucial for the 60-year-old’s future at the City Ground, but he is not being helped out by his injury setbacks.
Multiple stars are away on international duty this week, so he will have fingers crossed that nobody ends up on the treatment table alongside Ola Aina, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Douglas Luiz.
Murillo limped off during the defeat to Midtjylland, but despite huge concerns from the fans, he was back on the bench to face Newcastle United before heading into the two-week break.
That could be the difference between a vital three points and a seventh-straight game without victory.