Rafa Benitez talks Turkey to help Chelsea Grab back Guus Hiddink

Posted Tuesday, May 24, 2011 by Express.co.uk

Rafa Benitez talks Turkey to help Chelsea Grab back Guus Hiddink
Rafa Benitez could get Guus Hiddink’s current job and let him return to Stamford Bridge

GUUS HIDDINK will be given a clear route back to Chelsea – with Turkey lining up Rafa Benitez to replace him as their manager.

Former Liverpool boss Benitez, out of work since being sacked by Inter Milan in December, has already had talks with Turkey about taking over from Hiddink for the rest of the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.

Dutchman Hiddink tops Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s hitlist to replace Carlo Ancelotti, who was sacked on Sunday after two years in charge. The Daily Express can reveal that he would move to London if Turkey slip up. But his ideal would be to take that job for a year and become director of football, possibly bringing in Marco van Basten. The pair could even be brought together earlier, with former Ajax manager Van Basten as Hiddink’s initial No2.

Dutchman Hiddink could be sacked by Turkey if they lose, but their courting of Benitez suggests that a possible exit is being worked out. And Hiddink’s agent Cees van Nieuwenhuizen said: “As long as he is in the race for the European Championship, he would focus on that. But once that is finished, he will start thinking about his future.”

Former Blues boss Jose Mourinho, is also under consideration, but could stay at Real Madrid for a year.