News Digest

Rafa Benitez appointed Real Madrid manager and given huge cash pot to spend

Real Madrid have confirmed that former Liverpool, Chelsea and Napoli manager Rafael Benitez will become the club’s new first team coach - and he will have a huge say in who to sign over the summer. Benitez has signed his three-year contract and will be presented to the media on Wednesday after replacing the sacked Carlo Ancelotti. The identity of Benitez’s assistant coach has yet to be decided but Fernando Morientes, the former Madrid striker who played under Benitez at Liverpool, is a contender.

Real Madrid C. F. will present Rafa Benítez as the new first team coach for the next three seasons today, Wednesday 3 June.

Real Madrid statement

While Real’s transfer policy is - infamously - run by the club president, it seems that Benitez will be given a huge say in who arrives at the Bernabeu this summer. Spain’s Marca reports that Florentino Perez “always welcomes his new managers with a special ‘gift’” - namely, a blank cheque to sign any player they like. The same paper reports that Perez and Benitez had dinner on Tuesday night, during which the new boss apparently gave his seal of approval to Real Madrid’s imminent signing of Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea.