No smoke without fire!

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As Benitez appears to concede defeat where Xabi is concerned, he looks to high class Italian to fill the midfield void!

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Serie A heavyweights Roma have confirmed their transfer targets for what remains of the summer, as they look to replace wingers Mancini and Ludovi Giuly.

Giallorossi coach Luciano Spaletti has revealed that his side are tracking Liverpool’s Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun as they look to wrestle the Scudetto from Inter’s grasp. Spaletti is keen to deal with Liverpool again, having signed left-back John Arne Riise earlier this summer, telling Gazzetta dello Sport:

There will be two new signings.

The names? They’re the names you’ve heard. [Monaco's Jeremy] Menez and Benayoun are both top class players.

However, Benayoun has played down reports of a move, insisting he is happy in Merseyside:

It is not true that I am about to leave Anfield. I see my future at Anfield.

I want to stay and that is what will happen.

If Rafa were willing to let him go, which he may since he uses him so sparingly, it would free up squad-space and funds for Liverpool to finally capture Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry. With Leto having moved to Olympiakos and unavailable for two years, the time might be right to step up the chase for the England international.

If Rafa does keep him, and signs Barry as well, will the Israeli be so keen to stay where playing time is already so limited?

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Two candidates down, plenty to go for the west London club, after Luciano Spalletti has decided to stick with Roma instead of taking charge at the madhouse that is Stamford Bridge. The Daily Mirror reports that the Italian has rejected the opportunity to replace Avram Grant, days after Carlo Ancelotti also shunned Kenyon & Co in order to stick with Milan.

What is it about working in a pressure-cooker environment under the watchful eye of an impatient ruthless Russian oligarch that seems to put managers off? Plus working with Kenyon to grow the brand must be a really pleasant experience too.

Chelsea’s managerial search lurched further into chaos last night as Roma boss Luciano Spalletti became the latest man to turn his back on the job.

While bookmakers offer odds on who will be next Chelsea manager, maybe a more pertinent market would be to have prices about which man will reject the Champions League runners-up instead!