Liverpool Football News – Premier League giants Liverpool have been sounding out Jose Mourinho, the Inter coach, as a potential replacement for Rafael Benitez, claimed UK tabloid The Sun.

The latter trainer’s future at Anfield has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks, and it was reported recently that he had decided to leave at the end of the season due to contractual issues.

However, following the Reds’ landmark 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, the Spaniard declared that he would not leave Merseyside.

Nevertheless, such was the state of unrest before the Bernabeu clash, club co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett began mulling over possible candidates to man the helm – and Mourinho was singled out.

The former Chelsea boss announced recently that he would like to return to England at some point, and he has often been linked with Manchester United and his old haunt at Stamford Bridge.

An unnamed source said, “The Americans [Hicks and Gillett] had read Mourinho was interested in returning to the Premier League and wanted to know if he meant it.

“But it wasn’t a firm approach or a job offer. It was more a case of testing the water in case Rafa did decide to walk out.”

Liverpool came close to appointing the self-styled ‘Special One’ before eventually settling on Benitez back in 2004, and they could yet mount another assault should the current incumbent continue to wrangle for more control over transfers.