The dust may have only just settled on the Premier League season, but Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is already busy playing down his side's chances of winning it next year and fighting off speculation over the future of his best player.
Benitez feels the League is harder to win now than when he joined Liverpool in 2004, and knows that his task will be much harder if reports last night that linked Fernando Torres with a move to Chelsea turn out to be than speculation. Chelsea were last night reported to have made Torres their main transfer target and are prepared to offer up to £50 million.
"There is a desire among certain people at Liverpool to sell at a right price," said a Chelsea insider. "It is just a case of whether they have the nerve to incur the wrath of the Liverpool fans."
The relationship between American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett has left Benitez convinced the club is unable to match the spending power of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in the transfer market.
"It's more difficult because after two years of Chelsea winning the league and spending big money, United needed to do the same," Benitez said. "They started spending big money and Arsenal were also spending big money. We will try to do our best and the key for me is to not talk about the title."
Benitez has warned that teams below Liverpool are spending big money in a bid to qualify for the Champions League. "You see Aston Villa, Newcastle, West Ham and Everton spending money and having strong teams. It's not easy to be in the top four and be contenders, but because we have a young squad we can try again."
Benitez feels the League is harder to win now than when he joined Liverpool in 2004, and knows that his task will be much harder if reports last night that linked Fernando Torres with a move to Chelsea turn out to be than speculation. Chelsea were last night reported to have made Torres their main transfer target and are prepared to offer up to £50 million.
"There is a desire among certain people at Liverpool to sell at a right price," said a Chelsea insider. "It is just a case of whether they have the nerve to incur the wrath of the Liverpool fans."
The relationship between American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett has left Benitez convinced the club is unable to match the spending power of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in the transfer market.
"It's more difficult because after two years of Chelsea winning the league and spending big money, United needed to do the same," Benitez said. "They started spending big money and Arsenal were also spending big money. We will try to do our best and the key for me is to not talk about the title."
Benitez has warned that teams below Liverpool are spending big money in a bid to qualify for the Champions League. "You see Aston Villa, Newcastle, West Ham and Everton spending money and having strong teams. It's not easy to be in the top four and be contenders, but because we have a young squad we can try again."
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