Exclusive: Benitez opens talks with club amid Nottingham Forest interest

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(Credit: Imago) Sat 11 October 2025 16:08, UK Rafael Benitez is holding talks with Panathinaikos this weekend amid Nottingham Forest interest, sources have told Football Insider.The Spanish manager, 65, will hold discussions with the Greek club as they step up plans to appoint a new manager. Sources say that Benitez would prefer a Premier League post but it is unknown if he would be willing to wait for new suitors Forest.Football Insider exclusively revealed earlier on Saturday (11 October) that Forest have a “concrete” interest in Benitez, who has managed the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle, Chelsea and Everton.The Premier League outfit will stick with Ange Postecoglou for now, but he must oversee an upturn in results to keep his job, and Benitez is now the leading contender should Forest make a managerial change.The club’s owner Evangelos Marinakis is a big admirer of Fulham boss Marco Silva, as first revealed by Football Insider, but the cost of compensation is a major hurdle to any deal during the season.Ange Postecoglou facing Forest sack threatForest appointed Postecoglou one month ago as a replacement for Nuno Espirito Santo, who had fallen out with Marinakis and transfer chief Edu Gaspar prior to his exit.The Australian boss had a big task at hand to successfully follow Nuno’s impressive tenure with more progress at the City Ground club, and things have certainly not gone to plan so far.

MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Nottingham Forest are yet to win since he was hired, with five losses and two draws in his opening seven games in charge to see them drop to 17th in the Premier League, and doubts have started to creep in over whether he is the right man to lead them forward.Credit: ImagoFootball Insider revealed on Saturday that Postecoglou must transform Forest immediately after the international break if he wants to keep his job, and they clearly have a plan in mind if he is let go soon.Benitez has expressed a desire to return to English footballBenitez’s reputation on these shores has been somewhat tarnished by his last Premier League spell at Everton, where he was sacked after just six-and-a-half months in charge following a run of nine losses in 13 games.He spent nine months with Spanish side Celta Vigo between 2023 and 2024 before also being relieved of his duties, but despite recent struggles, his track record speaks for itself with Champions League, Europa League and La Liga triumphs to his name.The 65-year-old recently expressed a desire to test himself at the highest level in England once again in an interview with The Telegraph as he said: “It is bad for a coach to be seen as retired. People still ask me, ‘Do you want to coach?’ For sure, I do, particularly in England and Europe.

I do not want people to think I am finished. I am still evolving.”He could soon be offered that opportunity by the Reds if Postecoglou is let go, but they will need to act fast to get him appointed as talks begin with Panathinaikos.