Rafael Benitez has begun preliminary talks over a new contract. The Liverpool manager says his advisors will be handing the negotiations because he is determined not to allow the issue to distract him from the club's title challenge.
After an impressive start to the season, the Spaniard is now in a sufficiently powerful position to have been able to force contract discussions on to the club's agenda. Previously Tom Hicks, the American co-owner, had alluded to a one-year extension to Benitez’s existing £2.6 million-a-year deal, which expires in June 2010, but George Gillett, having taken their fallouts more personally, had been opposed to the idea.
However, with disagreements between Benitez and the owners now resolved the manager is delighted that talks have begun. "I want to clarify the situation over my new contract," he said. "My advisor has had contact with the club's owners, and they will have a meeting in the future, hopefully next week.
"But I want to make it clear that no details were discussed. Not the length of the contract, nor money or any conditions. None of those things were discussed. There has been contact and now things will start progressing.
"And in the future my agent will be talking about this with the club and I will concentrate on football, because I do not want to be talking about things every week that can distract the players. They will talk next week and hopefully there will be progress, but I do not want to be involved in those talks."
After an impressive start to the season, the Spaniard is now in a sufficiently powerful position to have been able to force contract discussions on to the club's agenda. Previously Tom Hicks, the American co-owner, had alluded to a one-year extension to Benitez’s existing £2.6 million-a-year deal, which expires in June 2010, but George Gillett, having taken their fallouts more personally, had been opposed to the idea.
However, with disagreements between Benitez and the owners now resolved the manager is delighted that talks have begun. "I want to clarify the situation over my new contract," he said. "My advisor has had contact with the club's owners, and they will have a meeting in the future, hopefully next week.
"But I want to make it clear that no details were discussed. Not the length of the contract, nor money or any conditions. None of those things were discussed. There has been contact and now things will start progressing.
"And in the future my agent will be talking about this with the club and I will concentrate on football, because I do not want to be talking about things every week that can distract the players. They will talk next week and hopefully there will be progress, but I do not want to be involved in those talks."
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