Celta Vigo President Carlos Mourino confident of securing former Real Madrid manager for vacant job

Celta Vigo President Carlos Mourino has confirmed rumours that the Galician side are in talks with former Liverpool, Inter and Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez. Celta are yet to appoint a new manager after Carlos Carvalhal was let go at the end of the season.

Os Celeste are celebrating their centenary year, and it was put to Mourino that bringing in Benitez would be a good way of celebrating.

“Hopefully, hopefully. Work is being done and I think that it will be achieved. We are very optimistic although it is not closed,” explained the president to Onda Cero.

Mourino went on to explain that the fact Benitez was such a demanding manager, both of his players and his employers, would be a good thing too.

Several months now Mourino also admitted that the club were likely to lose young starlet Gabri Veiga, who has a release clause of €40m. He was not any more optimistic on that matter.

“It would be a great joy for us if he stayed, but we know he has many teams behind him.”

Celta have been on a consistent cycle of managers coming in and making an impact in order to keep them either above the relegation zone or in midtable for several seasons. It seems Mourino and Sporting Advisor Luis Campos are keen to shake things up, and have significant plans to reshape the Celta Vigo squad – Benitez is clearly the one they want to lead that rebuild.