Massimo Moratti refuses to comment amid reports Rafa Benitez is sacked

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti refused to comment on Monday amid media reports Rafael Benitez was to be sacked as coach following his outburst over signings.

"I prefer not to talk today to avoid the risk of creating controversies," Moratti told reporters.                                           

Monday's Gazzetta dello Sport said Benitez, only in the role for six months, was being removed with Zenit St Petersburg coach Luciano Spalletti favourite to take over the World, European and Italian champions. 

On Sunday, club owner Moratti had labelled comments by Benitez after their World Club Cup win on Saturday as  "inappropriate".  

The coach told a stunned news conference in Abu Dhabi that Inter had to make signings or else he would speak with his  agent about his future.     

Their fifth trophy this year had appeared to have secured the Spaniard's job after a sticky domestic spell but with Inter not playing again until Serie A resumes on Jan. 6, Moratti has time to make a decision.

Former Liverpool coach Benitez only took over in June after treble-winning Jose Mourinho left for Real Madrid.

Benitez asked for new players for the start of the campaign but no signings materialised and a subsequent injury  crisis has contributed to champions Inter lying 13 points behind leaders AC Milan at Serie A's mid-season break.