Rafa Benitez is too fat to manage us, says Sampdoria club president

Massimo Ferro has insisted Sinisa Mihajlovic will remain at the club

Napoli manager Rafael Benitez (GETTY IMAGES)

Sampdoria president Massimo Ferro says Rafa Benitez would need to ‘see a dietitian’ before he would appoint him.

The Serie A chief was reacting to reports that current coach Sinisa Mihajlovic will leave the club in the summer to replace Benitez at Napoli, once the former Chelsea and Liverpool manager’s contract expires.

"As far as I am concerned, he's staying. If he were to leave, I'd know who to replace him with,” Ferrero told Radio Crc. “Paulo Sousa's not going to be Sampdoria's next coach, it will be [Italian comedy actor] Lino Banfi."

"I could take Benitez, but I'd have to take him to see a dietitian first.”

"Anyway, if Mihajlovic does leave, I've already got a replacement. You all say he's leaving, even if I don't know anything about it.”

Benitez has been linked with a move back to the Premier League as a potential successor to under-fire Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, as well as a sensational return to Anfield.

Should he return, it would be his third spell in English football have previously managed both Liverpool and Chelsea.

Benitez famously won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, as well as leading the Reds to Super Cup and FA Cup successes the following season.

After a spell in Italy with Inter Milan, he returned to England to replace Roberto di Matteo at Chelsea on an interim basis until the end of the 2012-13 season. Despite his short spell at Stamford Bridge, the Spaniard guided the Blues to Europa League glory.