Rafa Benitez mooted as next manager of Paris Saint-Germain

With Rafa Benitez out of contract at season's end, it's inevitable that people will start to look ahead to figure out where he goes next. If Rafa's contract is allowed to expire, he's going to be in demand around Europe as clubs make changes at manager, and one of the richest clubs in Europe might just be at the head of the line of interested clubs.

According to French paper Le Parisien, current Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc is on shaky ground and is likely to be replaced this summer. PSG are in third place in Ligue 1 behind Lyon and Marseille, a result their fans and board find disappointing considering the massive resources of talent and finances at Blanc's disposal. There have been some vague reports of dressing room unrest that Blanc hasn't been able to quell, and it's patently obvious that he's been unable to get the best out of his side.

Le Parisien claims that PSG are already narrowing down a shortlist of replacements, and apparently Rafa Benitez is right near the top of it. He's not the only name on the Paris club's list, with Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone and Roma boss Rudi Garcia on their wish list as well.

PSG would be a good option for Rafa should he choose to leave Napoli; they've got a set of talent in place that would fit his tactics well, and the budget to let him make whatever tweaks and build the kind of youth system he wants. Given time and patience, Rafa's type of managerial vision could turn PSG in to a Chelsea-like juggernaut.

The hope has been that Rafa would be able to accomplish that sort of result at Napoli, but the club's inability to stay in the Champions League has cost him the financial backing he needs to accomplish those kinds of results. Hopefully and Aurelio De Laurentiis can find some way to make this project work long-term for Napoli, because seeing Rafa find that kind of success with another club would be less than pleasant.