• Premier League

Lerner warns Liverpool off O'Neill

Soccernet staff
May 16, 2010
Martin O'Neill's stock is high following his efforts at Villa Park © Getty Images
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Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner has warned Liverpool against making an approach for his manager Martin O'Neill, should Rafael Benitez leave Anfield this summer.

Benitez has been strongly linked with a move to Juventus after failing to secure Champions League qualification for Liverpool, but said recently he "would like to stay" following talks with new chairman Martin Broughton.

If Benitez's six-year spell at Liverpool does come to an end then O'Neill has been touted as a potential candidate to succeed the Spaniard, having continued his fine work at Villa by finishing one place ahead of the Reds in the table.

It was announced on May 12 that following talks with Lerner, O'Neill has decided to remain at the club for next season, and the owner is determined to prevent the former Celtic boss from defecting to Liverpool.

"I don't want a manager who nobody else wants. But, as far as I'm concerned, Liverpool are not taking Martin O'Neill away from Aston Villa," Lerner told the Daily Star on Sunday.

"If you look at the top managers, you realise you are dealing with animated, complicated people. With Martin you've got a lot of personality, a lot of points of view, a lot of history and a lot of stuff going on.

"I realise that's who my manager is, and I don't want anything different than what I have here now."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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