Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has left Anfield by mutual consent, the Premier League club confirmed on Thursday. The 50-year-old’s position had been in doubt since it emerged on Wednesday that talks over his future with Reds chairman Martin Broughton and managing director Christian Purslow had broken down.
His departure had looked inevitable after reports emerged that he had fallen out with the Anfield hierarchy over the lack of funds available to him to rebuild a squad which finished seventh in the Premier League last season and failed to get past the group stage of the Champions League.
Benitez had suggested he would require in excess of £50 million to put the club back in contention for the Champions League places and even more to contend for the Premier League title.
But he was reportedly told that only £15 million would be available for signings because Liverpool had failed to qualify for the lucrative Champions League. Liverpool have agreed a settlement with him over the remainder of his four-year contract, which was said to include a £16 million severance clause.
Benitez, who had been in charge of Liverpool since 2004 and guided them to Champions League glory in 2005, admitted he was disappointed to be leaving.
“It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC.
“I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts,” he told the club’s website.
“I’ll always keep in my heart the good times I’ve had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool.
“I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager. Thank you so much once more and always remember: You’ll never walk alone.”
It has also been suggested that Benitez had lost the support of key players after Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano were all strongly linked with moves away from Merseyside.
— AFP