Hammers owner reveals failed Benitez bid

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan
claims his Premier League club were two
hours away from appointing Rafael
Benitez as their new manager before he
took over at Real Madrid.
Former Liverpool and Chelsea boss
Benitez was on the verge of signing a
deal to succeed Sam Allardyce at Upton
Park earlier this year before he agreed
to take charge of Spanish side Real.
West Ham were also interested in
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who
was available during the close-season
after leaving Borussia Dortmund, but
ultimately settled on former Hammers
defender Slaven Bilic, who had been in
charge of the Croatia national team.
“We were two hours from getting Benitez
and then Real came in,” Sullivan told Sky
Sports on Monday.
“We had agreed a contract and
everything.”
Benitez’s reign in Madrid has been
turbulent, with supporters calling for
him and club president Florentino Perez
to go after they were thrashed 4-0 by
arch rivals Barcelona in Madrid last
month.
In spite of that, Sullivan would have had
no reservations about bringing Benitez
to Upton Park in the future.
“He is a top manager, whatever anybody
says, and I think he’d have done a
wonderful job for us,” Sullivan said.
“We tried (Jurgen) Klopp as well but he
wouldn’t come because he said he
wanted a break. But I’m glad with the
manager we have got.”