REAL MADRID legend Raul has reportedly rejected the chance to take over as manager of Leeds United.
The Yorkshire club sacked Jesse Marsch after less than a year in charge on Monday.
GettyREal Madrid legend Raul has rejected the approach of Leeds[/caption]
The American, 49, paid the price for a seven-game winless run in the Premier League with his reign ending in a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
Leeds‘ dreadful form has left them 17th in the table, above the relegation zone only by virtue of goal difference.
Former boss Marcelo Bielsa was instantly installed as one of the favourites to take over while his former coach, Carlos Corberan, now at West Brom, is another frontrunner.
However, now AS has claimed that Leeds approached legendary former Real Madrid striker Raul, 45, and wanting him to be their new manager “at all costs”.
However, the Spaniard snubbed the opportunity as he is allegedly waiting to replace Carlo Ancelotti in the top job at the Bernabeu.
He is currently in charge of Madrid’s reserve side and he felt the approach from the English team was “not the right timing”.
They add that Raul – who is in the middle of a promotion fight to the second tier with Castilla – refused to change clubs midway through the campaign.
Raul has been in his current role for four years.
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He appeared 741 times for Madrid during his remarkable playing career and scored 323 goals – a club record that was broken by Cristiano Ronaldo.
He spent 16 seasons at the Bernabeu and won the Champions League three times, two Club World Cups, six La Liga titles, four Spanish Super Cups and the UEFA Super Cup.
Raul moved to Schalka in 2010 for a brief spell in the Bundesliga before heading to Qatari side Al Sadd and then New York Cosmos in America to finish his playing career to embark on his coaching path.