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Tuttosport have a claim today which is jaw-dropping. The Turin newspaper explain Chelsea have initiated talks to appoint Rafael Benitez as their next manager.

Currently at Newcastle United, Benitez’s contract expires this summer and there have been difficulties agreeing a renewal. With Mike Ashley still unable to complete a deal to sell Newcastle, Benitez’s future remains uncertain, with the club being linked to other options.

For some reason, Tuttosport believe a meeting between Chelsea and the Newcastle boss is ‘imminent’, and that could speed up Maurizio Sarri’s move to Juventus.

Tuttosport is a Turin newspaper and Juventus is where their concentration will be on this. It’s claimed Chelsea have been looking at several options, and Benitez is one of them.

The Spaniard spent a period as interim manager at Stamford Bridge and wasn’t exactly welcomed by all the club’s supporters. There was still bitterness from run-ins when Benitez was in charge of Liverpool, and he wasn’t given an easy ride.

This would be a hugely controversial and surprising switch, but Tuttosport believe it’s possible.

Newcastle fans, and many at Chelsea, will likely hope it’s nonsense.