Rafa Benitez for Everton? Former Liverpool boss will remain in China but could return with Everton in the future

The 59-year-old spent six years at Anfield, famously leading the Reds to their fifth Champions League crown with their miracle comeback over AC Milan in Istanbul.

The Spaniard has since gone on to manage Chelsea though, and he seems to have little problem in returning to Merseyside but taking charge of the blue half of the city, if offered the job in the future.

The former Real Madrid boss is currently in charge of Dalian Yifang in China after leaving Newcastle in the summer, and is also being linked with the vacant job at Arsenal and a possible upcming vacancy at West Ham.

Everton, however, remains the most intriguing prospect and, although Benitez ruled out a quick return from China ahead of schedule, he'd be open to taking charge at Goodison Park, with his family still living locally and him having plenty of connections with the city of Liverpool.

"I have Liverpool connections, that's very clear. But at the same time we are involved in the city, we have lots of friends in the city, Evertonians and Liverpudlians," Benitez told Sky Sports.

"I don't have any problem with the fans or the people there. I have a very good connection with the city.

"At the moment, I can't come back to the Premier League, but we'll see. In the future, you never know. I'm a professional.

"What I would like to say, is I made a mistake when I said it was a small club. I wanted to say it was a small team as, in the game, they had one chance and were too deep. I didn't want to say it was a small club.

"I know when I said that Liverpool fans were happy and Everton fans unhappy but that's not what I meant."

Everton sacked Marco Silva last week while Arsenal are currently looking for a permanent replacement for Unai Emery.

Although a return to the Premier League is clearly a goal of his, Benitez says he will remain in China on his two-year contract before thinking of returning to England

"I can be very clear - there is no chance I will come back now because I'm really happy," he added.

"I'm really pleased (Dalian Yifang) trust me. We have a lot of staff working on a big, big project. We want to leave a legacy and it's a challenge for me. I'm quite happy at the moment.

"In the future I would like to come back to the Premier League because I like the league."

Benitez has also been linked with West Ham, should the club part ways with current boss Manuel Pellegrini, and he revealed that he nearly joined the Hammers in 2015 before eventually taking over at Real Madrid.

"It was in the past, it's true that I was nearly there (at West Ham)," he added. "Then Real Madrid came, and I needed a couple of days to know exactly what was going on.

"Obviously I couldn't say no to Real Madrid, but it was a good time and it's a massive club.

"Everybody can see both teams (West Ham and Arsenal) have problems, but both are massive clubs and they will do well at the end."

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