Poll: Which Premier League star should Benitez bring to Madrid?
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Having guided Napoli to the dizzying heights of fifth place in Serie A this season, it was abundantly clear that the obvious choice to replace Carlo Ancelloti at Real Madrid was Rafa Benitez.
Our sarcasm may be slightly harsh on the former Liverpool gaffer, but it certainly appears he has work to do to appease the Bernabeu fanbase who have reportedly met his appointment in lukewarm style.
His predecessor boasted the best win-percentage of any Madrid manager in history and was still given the elbow, so Benitez has a big task on in the Spanish capital.
So for today’s poll, we are asking you which of the linked players are the best placed to help him start his Real reign in style.
Raheem Sterling – 5/2 to join this summer
Sterling never played a senior game for Benitez at Liverpool, but he was the man who brought the forward to Anfield in 2010.
The England international has been embroiled in a contract row with his current club for some time now and Europe’s biggest clubs are circling.
A link up with his former manager may have taken a step closer with Madrid’s apparent interest in his signature.
Angel Di Maria – 8/1
Signed for a British transfer record of £59.7m last summer, Di Maria’s career at Manchester United started brightly.
However his form in the second half of the season saw the Argentinean largely anonymous, with just one goal (against Yeovil) since January.
Could he be open to a move back to the club that he shone in for four years?
Radamel Falcao – 6/1
Another United flop, Falcao’s stock doesn’t seem to have fallen much despite a lacklustre spell at Old Trafford, with a number of top clubs reportedly lining up moves.
His style of play may not have suited the Premier League, with his record in La Liga with Atletico Madrid of 52 league goals in 68 games showing the class is there.
But with there being room for another striker at the Bernabeu a spell across the Spanish capital could be in order.
Diego Costa – 16/1
His representatives were fairly quick to deny the reports, but Marca have suggested this week that Costa is unhappy in London.
Rumours that he is fed up with the British weather as well as the food not being to his taste mean a return to Spain is not out of the question.
He may have ties with Atletico but one would argue that Real would be of more appeal to the striker.
Petr Cech – 10/1
It looks as if David de Gea will be Benitez’s first signing with Ladbrokes suspending the market on the Manchester United stopper moving back to Spain, but does that rule out a move for Cech?
The Chelsea ‘keeper has been sat on the bench all season at Stamford Bridge so whether he is desperate for first team football remains to be seen.
Having played under Benitez during his time in west London the link could be there for the Czech international to jump ship to Madrid.
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All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
