Inter Milan rubbished reports they have sounded out Rafa
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Juventus set to give up on Liverpool's Rafa Benitez as Italian giants turn to Sampdoria boss Luigi Del Neri
Uncertain future: Liverpool boos Rafa Benitez
Juventus are on the verge of abandoning their pursuit of Rafa Benitez and turning instead to Sampdoria coach Luigi Del Neri.
Mindful that Benitez declared his intenton to remain at Liverpool less than 24 hours earlier, the Juventus board met yesterday morning and discussed an approach for Del Neri, who is out of contract in the summer after leading Sampdoria to the brink of Champions' League qualification.
Significantly, Del Neri has stalled over accepting a double-your-money wage offer of £1.5million a year from his Sampdoria bosses and has indicated an interest in taking over at the Stadio Olimpico.
Sampdoria chief executive Giuseppe Marotta is about to be installed as Juventus' director general, and Del Neri said: 'He hasn't asked me to go with him yet. Who would not want to join Juventus? But it takes two to tie the knot, and there have been no offers for me so far.'
Frustration: Liverpool limped to their worst finish in over ten years this season
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MOURINHO GOING NOWHERE
Inter Milan refute Benitez talk
Rafa Benitez won't replace Jose Mourinho
Inter Milan have rubbished reports in the Italian media that they have sounded out Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez about succeeding Jose Mourinho, should he leave in the summer.
Former Chelsea boss Mourinho has been linked with a return to the Premier League, as well the Real Madrid job, and it was reported on Tuesday that Inter had joined Juventus in the race to lure Benitez to the Serie A.
However, Inter moved quickly to quash the rumours and issued a statement that insisted the club had not made a move for Benitez, or any other coach.
The statement read: "With regards to what has been reported by several Italian media, FC Internazionale underlines that absolutely no contact has been made with coaches - of other clubs or national teams - given that the club has a contract with Jose Mourinho until 2012, and that everybody is focused exclusively on the team's important upcoming commitments."
Mourinho later echoed those sentiments on the club's official website. "I have never spoken with any club, and like all the Interisti I am only thinking about the matches with Siena and Bayern Munich," Mourinho stated.
Inter must win their final Serie A game of the season against Siena at the weekend to be sure of clinching the league title, before attention switches to the Champions League final against Bayern Munich in Madrid on May 22.