Rafael Benitez turned down lucrative job offers from Real Madrid TWICE during his spell as Liverpool boss, reports the Daily Mirror.
The claim made by Benitez’s agent, claims Real Madrid president Florentino Perez made his first approach for the Spaniard in 2008, and then once more 12 months later.
“Rafa was for two consecutive years given the chance to become coach of Real Madrid,” Manuel Garcia Quilon explained.
“We received a very interesting proposal from the Blancos five years ago and the year before that.”
Perez was so keen to get his man, that he flew to meet Benitez via private jet, in an attempt to persuade him and his wife to return to his home city of Madrid.
But Benitez was not prepared to leave Liverpool, despite being offered such a lucrative contract, and ended up staying put.
“As Rafa had just renewed his contract with Liverpool and is a man of his word, he turned down the offer from his beloved Real Madrid despite the fact it was the best economic and sporting proposal he’d ever received,” he added.
