Former Everton and Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is being lined up by Nottingham Forest as Steve Cooper's position at the City Ground has been "plunged into doubt", according to reports.
The 62-year-old Spaniard has been out of work since being dismissed by Everton in January following a 2-1 defeat to Norwich City, leaving the Toffees sitting six points outside the relegation zone.
Steve Cooper's side suffered their fifth consecutive defeat on Monday evening as they were thrashed 4-0 by Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
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Despite securing Forest's promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years, Cooper's position is believed to be under serious threat due to a string of poor results since beating West Ham United in August, which remains the club's only win so far this campaign.
Having spent just shy of £150m on a staggering 23 players in preparation for their return to the top-flight, the East Midlands outfit currently prop the Premier League up with just four points on the board.
The Telegraph's John Percy has reported that Benitez, who won the Champions League and FA Cup during his six-year stint as Liverpool manager, is already emerging as a surprise candidate to succeed Cooper due to his experience at the elite level of the European game making him a "high-profile appointment".
Benitez already has strong connections at Forest, in Lee Charnley, who was Newcastle United's managing director during the Spaniard's stint in the St James' Park hot seat.
Cooper, who previously held a position as a Liverpool academy coach prior to his move into senior football, gave a candid assessment directly after the harrowing defeat by Brendan Rodgers' side.
"I completely understand the situation and the question and respect it 100 per cent," said the Welshman. “We are on a run of results that are not good, I am not going to shy away from that. I’m not thinking about my personal situation apart from how I can be at my best every day, but the tougher it gets the more I work and the more it means to me.”
Forest are in action against Aston Villa next Monday, and if Benitez was to succeed Cooper there could be a reunion with the Reds later this month as Jurgen Klopp's side travel to the City Ground on October 22. Meanwhile, a clash with the Blues would be made to wait until March, when Frank Lampard's side travel to the City Ground.
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