Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks’ pledge to hand Rafael Benitez a
‘substantial transfer budget’ was in question last night after it
emerged that the manager has no more than £5million to spend.
Despite three meetings with new Anfield chairman Martin
Broughton, Benitez is still unsure if money generated from player
sales will be made available to him for signings and remains wary
of giving the go-ahead to deals that would see Yossi Benayoun, Ryan
Babel, Albert Riera and Philipp Degen sold to foreign clubs.
Amid concern that it could take up to 18 months for Hicks and
George Gillett to sell up as they hold out for £800m, and with
Benitez’s own future still in some doubt, Liverpool are wide open
to big offers for unsettled stars Fernando Torres and Steven
Gerrard.
Please don't go: Rafa Benitez knows he faces a
fight to keep Steven Gerrard
Both players have indicated they will wait until after the World
Cup before making any firm decisions and incoming Real Madrid coach
Jose Mourinho yesterday became the first to register his interest
in Gerrard openly.
Benitez is desperate to keep hold of the pair, a feeling shared
by the various factions that have emerged at Anfield as Liverpool
have descended deeper into debt and internal chaos.
But opinion is split over whether it might make financial sense
to cash in on at least one of the stars if it allows the club to
make several new signings.
Javier Mascherano, Pepe Reina and Glen Johnson are the other
players Benitez would be loath to lose, although problems over
agreeing a new contract with Mascherano have left the Liverpool
boss with no option but to consider sacrificing the Argentina
midfielder to try and raise transfer funds.
On Wednesday, Hicks ruled out the possibility of selling
Liverpool’s top players and promised ‘significant investment’ this
summer which, he claimed, would mean the club’s gross and net
transfer spending had doubled since he and Gillett took over three
years ago.
Confusion: Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks insists
there is money to spend
Benitez is believed to be working to a budget of £4-5m. It is
one of the reasons he has struggled to tie up a modest £2m deal for
Rangers defender Danny Wilson, which would rise to £4m with
add-ons.
The Liverpool boss has not always helped his own cause, however,
with many fans still wondering why he paid £17m for Roma midfielder
Alberto Aquilani last summer.
Aquilani ruled out a move to Juventus yesterday, insisting he
wants to stay.
