Benitez Talks January- and Gerrard

As reported by The Chronicle, Rafa Benitez assessed the clubs’ ambitions in the January window and discussed the recent links to ex-England captain, Steven Gerrard.

Benitez said: “I was surprised as it was the first I’d read about Stevie.

“They were asking me if he can be a manager. I think he’s a great player and has been one of the best I have ever coached. We haven’t talked about it (the transfer).

“It’s a surprise, and is it a possibility? It would be very difficult because we have a good team and we are doing well. We are not looking for names.”

Benitez will be looking for additions in the January window but insists they must be the right type of player.

He said: “What we want to be sure of is that we have a good team.

“And when we go to the transfer window in January our idea is to find the players that we need. It’s not names. It is players that can be good now or in the future. Can we find these players?

“January is a difficult window because the best players are in good teams who are playing in Europe or fighting for something and they won’t leave their clubs. You can always find somebody that can find somebody who can give you something.

“Clearly, it has to be players that can give us more balance and not just because they are names or because we have to sign somebody.

“We are happy with our squad and we will manage in the best way possible to keep the majority of these players here. We don’t need to sell.”