Rafa Benitez Praises Liverpool Medics' Work With Fernando Torres But Calls Premier League 'Too Demanding'

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has praised the dedicated efforts of the Anfield medical staff in keeping Fernando Torres in good enough shape to play.

The striker has been undergoing intensive work on his troublesome groin injury, sometimes spending up to five hours extra at training during his rehabilitation.

Whilst Benitez acknowledges the player's hard work, he also feels that the medics deserve a pat on the back.

"Fernando knew from the beginning that it was a question of working very hard with the physios and fitness coach. He's doing this and he's a very good professional," the Reds' gaffer explained.

"The staff has been crucial. All the medical staff has been working very hard. Specific physios have been working very hard with him and the fitness coach Eduardo Parra is working with him every single day for hours and hours. This is crucial.

"It's been a busy season for the medical team. I've been watching injuries in the other teams and there have been a lot in the Premier League because it's too demanding."

Jeremy Menez: Liverpool Move For Roma Enigma After Fallout With Ranieri

A number of Premier League clubs have been alerted by the much publicized fall-out between Jeremy Menez and his manager Claudio Ranieri at Roma. The French star is highly-rated but has never fulfilled his early promise shown at Sochaux and Monaco. However, Menez is still only 22-years-old and there are a number of Premier League clubs eyeing a potential move with Liverpool the team named as leading the chase in the Italian press.

There is no doubt that the French star possesses top drawer ability although his temperament has often been called into question. He is a highly technical player with superb dribbling and passing ability and his versatility would make him an extremely useful acquisition for Rafa Benitez particularly if he can secure Menez on a loan to buy deal as the club have little transfer funds available. The French star can play on either wing, in the hole or as a forward so would be ideal for Liverpool whose squad is not as strong in depth as some of their rivals for a top four spot.

Menez has been linked with a return to France but his agent Alain Migliaccio suggested this is unlikely although the future for the player is open. He told romagiallorossa.com, “Menez to Marseille? That is not true at the moment, while Marseille are also set to sign (Inter Milan’s) Mancini.”

“I don’t know what the future will hold for Jeremy. I will talk with Roma next week.”

Roma coach Claudio Ranieri has suggested that he is willing to let Menez leave. He declared, “The club has needs and we must meet them.”

“If there are requests from other clubs for our players, we will evaluate them.

“I want to have players here who believe in the project and will give their all for the collective cause.”

Menez was dropped from the team following a poor showing as a 75th minute substitute in the 2-2 away draw at Cagliari and has not appeared since. It would seem Ranieri has ran out of patience with the creative star and he will be leaving Rome this month. Relations between the two clubs following Alberto Aquilani’s move to Anfield and John-Arne Riise’s move to Rome are good and the Italian press claim talks are ongoing.

The French star began his career at Sochaux where he made a total of 55 league appearances (40 starts). Menez scored 7 goals for the club and became the youngest ever scorer of a Lique One hat-trick, aged 17. He was also the youngest ever winner of Lique One’s Player of the Month award. Such were his performances that Monaco signed him in 2006, he went on to make 57 league appearances for them (45 starts) and scored 14 goals which prompted interest from a number of top European clubs. Roma eventually secured his services for 12.5 millions euros when he signed a 4-year contract in August 2008.

Menez has failed to live up to expectations at the club and but played 29 league games in his debut season (13 starts) while scoring 4 goals. However, this season the French playmaker has started 9 of his 10 appearances until his fallout with Ranieri.

There is no doubting Menez’ talent and the 22-year-old may be more suited to the pace and more attacking English game. He will certainly have a point to prove to his doubters both in Italy and France should Rafa Benitez get his man. The player has been prone to the odd outburst that has not done him any favours in Rome particularly when he criticized the role played by Roma’s talisman in his debut season. The Frenchman said at the time, “I am at a team where Francesco Totti comes before anything else…”

Claudio Ranieri’s arrival looked set to rebuild the career and reputation of Menez as he looked to unlock the Frenchman’s talent. However, he has openly criticized the player declaring, “Menez is a great champion, but must be more practical.”

“If you are dispossessed, you must double your efforts. We have to work a lot on this and it’s not easy to get through to him. But it’s a shame when you are a good dancer and don’t want to dance…”

Menez has been likened to both Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry in his homeland for his skills but he has yet to win a senior cap due to his lack of playing time in Italy plus the form of the likes of Franck Ribery and Yohan Gourcuff. Just like Gourcuff, the creative star may need a different environment to bring out the best in him. After all, other French stars have thrived when leaving Italy after arriving perhaps too early in their careers. Both Patrick Vieira and Gourcuff both failed to perform in Italy so a loan move to Liverpool may be just what the player needs to prove to everyone just how talented he is.

Benitez does not have the funds to secure any expensive deals this January but a loan move with an option to sign the player in a £7.5million deal in the summer would suit both parties. Menez’ ability to play on either flank or alongside or just behind Fernando Torres marks him out as an ideal option. The Reds undoubtedly need a boost this January and according to the Italian press, the French enigma may be the man to provide it.

Zuiverloon Wants Babel At West Brom

West Brom's flying Dutchman Gianni Zuiverloon would love to see best mate Ryan Babel join him in Birmingham.

Birmingham City's £9million offer for Babel was rejected by the Reds and boss Rafa Benitez wants to keep him.

However, given the unpredictable nature of the January transfer window, the fact that Babel isn't getting much game time and is eager to play ahead of this summer's World Cup, an increased bid may tempt Liverpool to sell.

"Would I like to see Ryan move down here? Well I'd love for him to play, that's the big part," said Zuiverloon. "He needs to play so it doesn't matter where it is.

"If he goes to Birmingham City then it's even better for him and for me too as then we could do stuff together in Birmingham.

"But he needs to play and that's the most important thing for him."

Reds' Shock Loan Swoop For City Youngster

Rafa Benitez is reportedly preparing a loan move for Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha.

The Liverpool boss is desperate to add defensive cover to his side, with right back Glen Johnson set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Onuoha signed a long-term contract at the City of Manchester Stadium in the summer, but has only made four appearances since after an injury ruled the 23-year-old out for a large part of the season so far.

Reports suggest that the Reds are ready to offer Onuoha a short-term loan deal at Anfield.

Liverpool are short on defensive options in all positions, and Onuoha's versatility makes him a perfect candidate for a switch to Merseyside.

The former England Under 21 international isn't believed to be in the plans of new boss Roberto Mancini, and could put himself in the shop window for a move to Liverpool or elsewhere with a successful six-month stint.

The pair of clubs are seen as direct rivals for the fourth place spot in the Premier League, and whether City would want to loan players to a competitor is another issue entirely.

However, with City able to spend freely in the transfer market, a further addition at the back could leave Onuoha surplus to requirements in Lancashire and the possibility of a move much more likely.

Liverpool Join Jones Race

Liverpool have reportedly joined Premier League rivals Birmingham City, Stoke City, Aston Villa and Tottenham in the race for Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones.

The Sunday People claim Rafa Benitez is proposing a swap deal involving Ryan Babel and Jones trading clubs in this transfer window.

Having recently sold Andriy Voronin to Dynamo Moscow, the Spaniard is looking to bring in an able replacement, and Jones reportedly fits the bill for Liverpool.

The towering Trinidad and Tobago striker has cut an impressive figure for Sunderland alongside the prolific Darren Bent, and he seemingly has no shortage of suitors despite Steve Bruce recently suggesting the player was not for sale.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is a known admirer having enquired about the player in the summer, while Aston Villa and Stoke City have both been linked with forward this month.

The newspaper suggests Jones would entertain the idea of moving to Anfield in order to play alongside Fernando Torres at Liverpool, but the move would depend who Ryan Babel's willingness to move to Sunderland.

The Dutchman recently rejected the chance to join high-flying Birmingham City in a £11 million deal despite Liverpool's readiness to sell the player.

Over the last few days Sunderland boss Steve Bruce appears to be looking at likely candidates to replace Jones should he accept the reputed advances of Liverpool, and having been recently rebuffed in his efforts to sign Schalke 04 striker Kevin Kuranyi, a swap deal with Babel may have its appeal.

Tom Hicks Jr Resigns As Liverpool Director

Liverpool today announced that Tom Hicks Jr. has left his position as a director at both the club and its parent company.

A statement on the club's official website reads:

"Liverpool Football Club today announces that Thomas Hicks Jr. has resigned as a director of both the club and its parent company Kop Holdings.

"Three new directors have been elected to the boards of both companies.

These are Philip Nash, LFC Chief Financial Officer; Ian Ayre, LFC Commercial Director; and Casey Coffman, Executive Vice President of Hicks Holdings."

The news follows stories that emerged at the weekend regarding an angry and allegedly abusive email sent to a supporter by Hicks Jr. for which he later apologised.

Pressure had mounted for Hicks Jr. to resign after he responded to an email from concerned fan Stephen Horner by reportedly writing: "Blow me, ****face. Go to hell. I’m sick of you."

The Spirit of Shankly supporters' group, an organisation committed to ridding the Anfield club of its American owners, issued statement over the weekend calling for Hicks Jr. to resign, as well as expressing wider concerns about the state of the club.

Real Madrid Midfielder Xabi Alonso Backs Liverpool Manager Rafael Benitez

Real Madrid's deep-lying playmaking midfielder Xabi Alonso, who swapped Liverpool's Anfield for the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer, has offered his support to his former manager Rafael Benitez.

"There is no questioning that he is a good manager who can still bring success for Liverpool," Alonso is quoted to have told Sky Sports.

"He doesn't operate the same way to a lot of other managers, but you can't deny that he is successful in what he does.

"He keeps his distance emotionally - you are the player and he is the manager and that's the way he likes it. You have to accept that.

"I will always respect Rafa for what he has done in football but, more importantly, I will always be massively grateful to him for the chance he gave me to join Liverpool."

Alonso, though, did concede that the persistent speculation linking then-Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry with a transfer to the Merseyside outfit was the catalyst for his desire to crave a Real switch.

He said in the People: "The pursuit of Gareth Barry took some time for me to accept and, in all honesty, it changed the course of my future.

"I did get over it but it did take time for me to accept what had happened to me.

"Leaving Liverpool was one of the hardest decisions of my life, but after what happened with Barry I knew in my heart I had to tell Rafa that I wanted to go to Madrid when they came knocking at the door.

"I was still fairly young when I joined Liverpool and I had not only grown into the player I'd become there, but also the man I'd become."

Arsenal & Liverpool Target Marouane Chamakh To Announce Decision By End Of January

Girondins de Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh is set to reveal where he is headed at the end of January, according to The Sun.

There has been widespread speculation surrounding the player's future, particularly in the last 12 months, as the Morocco international's contract with the Ligue 1 outfit is set to expire at the end of the season.

Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for the highly rated forward, but Liverpool have reportedly pipped them in the race to secure the player's signature during the summer.

Presently, the Bordeaux hitman has allegedly revealed that he will announce his destination soon, as he is quoted as saying: "I'll give my answer by the end of January."

Tottenham Hotspur have also been linked with a move for Chamakh.

Owner's Son Tom Hicks Junior Apologises To Liverpool FC Fan For Sending Abusive Email

Tom Hicks Jr. has apologised to a Liverpool supporter after he was accused of sending an abusive email.

The Dallas based Liverpool director and son of co-owner Tom Hicks Senior was contacted by Stephen Horner, a concerned fan, who emailed him an extract of a Liverpool Echo article published this weekend.

The extract contained a series of points raised in the Football Echo's Blood Red Column this weekend. The article analysed and explored the challenges facing Rafa Benitez.

But just before 4am in Texas yesterday (10am in England), Hicks Jr. sent one reply calling Mr. Horner “an idiot”.

He then sent another email – this time with Liverpool’s financial and commercial directors Philip Nash and Ian Ayre copied in – which told Horner: “Blow me f*** face. Go to Hell. I’m sick of you.”

Mr. Horner says he was shocked by the outburst but late last night, he was again contacted by Hicks Jr., this time to say sorry for the incident.

The email read: “Stephen, I apologize for losing my temper and using bad language with you. It was a kneejerk reaction. Tommy”

Liverpool – who have sold Andriy Voronin and Andrea Dossena this weekend to Dinamo Moscow and Napoli respectively – were not making any comment today on the incident but the club insist neither Mr. Nash nor Mr. Ayre received the original email.

This is not the first time that Hicks Jr. has clashed with Liverpool supporters.

He was at the centre of a heated row in the Sandon Pub, near Anfield, in February 2008 after the Reds had beaten Middlesbrough 3-2.

Regardless of whether Hicks Jr. has apologised, though, Paul Rice – Chairman of Spirit of Shankly – believes the Texan has made his position on the board untenable.

He said: “It is totally indefensible for a director of the club to speak to a fan in that manner. The comment is unbecoming of a director of Liverpool FC.”

Horner himself said today: "The email that I sent on Saturday morning to Tom Hicks Senior, George Gillett and Tom Hicks Jr. was merely a link to the Liverpool Echo article, 'Rafa Benitez should not have to manage Liverpool FC's debt', where I copied and pasted the pertinent points made in the article.

"I was polite and offered no personal view on the article, but felt compelled to send the article to the owners as it succinctly covered all of the main concerns that we as supporters have with the current situation; namely the £240M debt which Hicks and Gillett have loaded onto the club, the lack of investment in the playing squad and the false promises over the New Stadium.

"We are totally hamstrung as a result of the leveraged buy out by Hicks and Gillett, and cannot move forward as a Football club on or off the field.

"We finished 2nd in the league last season, and should have kicked on this season. There should have been investment in the playing squad in the summer and yet we have invested less than we recouped through player sales.

"We will continue to regress whilst Hicks and Gillett are owners of this worldwide institution. I am sick and tired of the propaganda and spin that is coming out of Liverpool Football Club.

"It is time for honesty. We exist to win trophies, not to pay off debts that have been loaded onto the club by others.

"The damage has been done by Hicks initial two email messages that he sent me on Saturday morning, and the apology received later in the day is hollow and probably a PR exercise.

He added: "The Gillett and Hicks reign has been nothing short of disastrous and they have proved time and time again that they are not fit and proper custodians of this special Football Club which means so much to so many people around the world. I urge former Chairman David Moores to now step forward and speak out, and admit his fatal mistake in selling to Gillett and Hicks.

"Hicks Junior should resign with immediate effect and it is time that Gillett and Hicks sold up and handed the reigns over to people who understand "The Liverpool Way".

"They are not welcome at Anfield and should name their price and begin negotiations with more suitable investors who can take this great club forward."

Benitez Fears Liverpool Will Head For Exit

Rafa Benitez is bracing himself for the biggest battle of his life – holding on to his big-name stars if Liverpool’s season ends in disaster.

The Kop boss is only too aware that mind-blowing bids will be slammed down hard on the American owners’ boardroom table for his own elite top four – Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Pepe Reina and Javier Mascherano.

And although Benitez wouldn’t want to cash in, he knows George Gillett and Tom Hicks will be swayed by multi-million-pound offers.

The key to keeping his superstar squad intact is silverware. Finishing in the top four and picking up a cup or two along the way is what he needs to turn round a disappointing season.

But even if Champions League qualification is secured, Benitez knows it probably won’t stop Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho coming back in for Steven Gerrard who he tried to sign for Chelsea in 2004.

And Manchester City would also be certain to make making a world-record bid of up to £100million for Torres. Benitez at first straight-batted the question saying: “At this moment we have to do the best for the club which is trying to improve the squad.”

But, when pressed further about who would have to make a decision on a massive transfer bid, he said:

“We would have conversations if we had to decide about this.

“Finishing in the top four is key to keeping everyone together and we also want to progress in the cups.

“The FA Cup and the Europa League are a challenge so we have to stick together and try to do our best in every game and every competition.”

It’s clearly a seriously worrying time for Benitez who has worked relentlessly to tie up his superstars on long-term deals.

Torres, Gerrard and Reina have committed themselves to the club and the cause but Mascherano is yet to sign on the dotted line.

The Argentina midfielder has kept his options open about cutting and running in the summer to Barcelona – if they still want him.

Benitez believes Mascherano will decide to stay now his pal, Argentina winger Maxi Rodriguez, is on his way to Anfield from Atletico Madrid.

Mascherano is still considering whether his immediate future might be better served in Spain but Benitez will not give up on that personal fight either. He said: “We are working on improving the level of the squad.

“Sometimes it’s bringing players, sometimes it’s players leaving.

“We are selling Andrea Dossena and Andriy Voronin because they were not playing too many games and they wanted to play every week.

“So we had to manage the situation and try to do the best for them and for us.

“We are doing contract extensions with others because we wanted to keep a strong squad.

“Sometimes that means to buy and sometimes to sell.

“Sometimes people want to go – but you can’t let them go now.

“Sometimes you don’t have the right offer so it’s not easy to say if you will lose some players.”

Liverpool Midfielder Alberto Aquilani Feeling 'Reborn'

Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani midfielder insists that he is feeling "reborn" after recovering from a long-term injury, and that he intends to help the Reds pick up the pieces of a shattered season.

The Merseyside giants have endured several false dawns, with the injury-plagued Italian making only five Premier League appearances so far following his big-money switch from Roma.

"I feel reborn and I want to smash the world," Aquilani is quoted by the News of the World as saying.

"It was so hard being all that time without playing.

"Believe me when I say to you that watching your team-mates training and playing while you do nothing but physiotherapy, gym exercises and routines in the swimming pool for rehabilitation is really difficult.

"But now that is over. I am fine and I just want to put it all behind me and not think about anything but playing.

"The rest will follow. If I remain in good health, I know I can play at a certain high level.

"I know I have the confidence of the manager [Rafael Benitez], the rest of the management and my new team-mates.

"I know what I am worth on a football pitch and I want to do my absolute best in a very difficult season like this for the club and the fans."

Liverpool: Offers Could Be Considered

If tabloids reports are accurate Rafa has admitted for the first time that he has some concerns over the Liverpool futures of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

Offers for the Reds' most prized assets are thought to have never been in question however the Spaniard has for the first time intimated that offers would be considered, as he explained:

'We would have a conversation and decide what's the best for the club.

'I've said before I want to keep the best players here because that means we can be closer to the top four. They are the most important.

'We gave extensions to players because we want to keep the squad together.

'If you ask any manager in the world they will tell you they want more money and want to spend but at this moment we have to do what's best for the club.

'That means managing the situation for each player and see what happens.'

In my honest opinion Rafa is just giving a worst case scenario answer to a question which has no doubt been manipulated to suit those that have published it and this is most likely a realistic worst case scenario that we'll have to hope, and I do believe, that we will avoid.

Should Rafa be forced to sell these players, due to finances, then I can't see that he'd be willing to hang around but I'm confident that it'll not come to this anyway.

Pay Row Keeps Reds Waiting For Max

Liverpool are confident that a money row between Maxi Rodriguez and Atletico Madrid will not derail the Argentine's £1.2 million move to Anfield.

Manager Rafa Benitez has agreed a fee with the Spanish club and Rodriguez has accepted the terms of an 18-month contract.

But the 29-year-old midfielder's arrival has been put in doubt by a stand-off with Atletico.

Rodriguez is demanding he is paid a £5 million loyalty bonus that would have been due to him had he stayed at the Vincente Calderon Stadium for the remaining six months of his contract.

Rodriguez has fallen out of favour with Atletico coach Enrique Sanchez Flores this season - despite scoring four goals in a Spanish Cup tie in November.

Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano both recommended him to Benitez having played with him for club and country respectively.

But Rodriguez is refusing to give up on the pay-off he will get at the end of the season after spending five years at Atletico.

Rafa Ready To Improve Reds' Defence

Rafa Benitez is desperate to improve Liverpool's defensive record but he accepts his side have come a long way following early-season problems.

The Reds have kept successive cleansheets in the league following a concerted effort to return to the defensive meanness of last term.

However, Benitez thinks there is still room for improvement.

"Yes, we are definitely much better," the boss told the club's website. "Still we can improve because we were really good in the last two or three seasons.

"Improving the defence needs hard work. But when you do your job every day on the pitch and in every training session, you see an improvement. That's what we're doing at the moment."

Meanwhile, Benitez admits his disappointment at the way this season has panned out.

He added: "I am disappointed with the way things have gone on. We were scoring a lot of goals in some games at home, but afterwards we weren't winning - and that's the important thing. It doesn't matter if you score four or five goals against one team if you don't win the next game.

"Two or three goals changed everything in the Champions League but clearly we have to improve. We want to do that now. Everyone's ready and improving depends on us.

"We know that it's very important for us, for the fans and the club to do well. So we'll push really hard.

"We have some players coming back from injury and if we can keep the majority of the players fit then we can beat anyone. The last two wins in the league means this team is coming back."

Rafa Top Of The Swaps

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez wants to snap up Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones in a swap deal involving outof-favour Ryan Babel. But he can only afford the £11million-rated Trinidad & Tobago target man if Babel goes to Steve Bruce's club.

The Kop manager has limited funds and cannot match Birmingham and Stoke if it comes to a straight cash auction for 25-year-old Jones.

However, Benitez has let leading agents work on his behalf to set up a potential swap involving Dutchman Babel, who is also rated at £11m by the Anfield outfit.

Liverpool believe Jones would fancy joining them and playing alongside Fernando Torres - or taking the Spaniard's place if he has to rest his injury.

Jones is not excited by the idea of joining Birmingham or Stoke, who have a lower profile. Liverpool may drop their valuation on Babel - Sunderland rate him at £8m - to make the move happen.

Bruce's interest has heightened because his bid for German striker Kevin Kuranyi, 27, at Schalke, looks doomed over the player's £130,000-a-week pay demands.

Babel, 23, has also been a target for ambitious Birmingham in the past few days but they came up short of the valuation and the Liverpool squad man is reluctant to go to the Blues.

Benitez has other strikers in mind, including Aston Villa's Anfield old boy Emile Heskey.

But Jones - a 6ft 2in powerhouse frontman when he is in the mood - is his first choice.

Villa Will Break Wage Cap To Keep Milner

James Milner will begin talks to extend his Aston Villa contract until 2015 when this month's transfer window closes.

The England winger joined the Midlands club from Newcastle for £12million in September 2008 and signed a four-year deal worth £40,000-a-week.

But the versatile star has since become one of Martin O'Neill's most important players and will now demand around £75,000-a-week, making him the club's top earner.

The Villa boss likes a loose wage cap to protect morale in the dressing room and the talks are likely to involve a lot of negotiation from both sides.

Milner, 24, made his England debut against Holland last August and his fine form in Villa's attempt to break into the top four has attracted interest from Liverpool.

His impressive performances in victories at Anfield and Old Trafford this season have also brought him to the attention of other members of the top four.

He has two and a half years left on his current deal but O'Neill, who believes the Leeds academy graduate could eventually become a central midfielder, wants to tie him down to a longer deal to ward off interest from other clubs.

That would see the player add a further three years to his present agreement. It will also ensure that Villa receive a big fee if he does leave.

Milner was among the lowest paid players at Newcastle and his representatives are believed to have thought they could have got a better deal for him when he arrived at Villa at a time when big contracts were being handed out to the likes of Ashley Young and John Carew.

Young is the club's highest earner on £65,000-a-week but Milner is a near certainty to make Fabio Capello's World Cup squad for South Africa next summer, and that will increase his bargaining position. Stilyan Petrov recently signed a contract worth £50,000-a-week, while Richard Dunne and Norwegian striker Carew are thought to be on slightly higher deals.

It is likely that the talks will result in Milner signing a contract worth around £70,000-a-week before heading off to South Africa with England.

Since winning his first England cap and setting up a goal in the Holland friendly, the former England Under-21 international has played in the last three World Cup qualifiers as well as in November's friendly defeat to Brazil in Dubai.

Milner has 46 Under-21 caps and has played for his country at that level more times than any other player. His last appearance was in the European Championship final defeat against Germany in Sweden last summer, which England lost 4-0.

His ability to cover a variety of positions has seen his importance to Villa increase. This season he has played on both wings, in central midfield and even at right-back.

He recently stated that he is enjoying the most settled period of his career having played under 13 different managers and caretakers by the age of 23.

Milner became the youngest player to score in the Premier League when he found the net for Leeds in 2002 when he was just 16.

Rafael Benitez Insists He Is Staying Put And Planning Summer Signings For Liverpool

Contrary to speculation linking Rafa Benitez to other clubs, the Liverpool manager insists he's remaining at Anfield for the long-haul and has already started masterminding a summer spending.

The Spaniard has been linked to Real Madrid and Inter Milan and was reportedly disappointed not to have funds available to spend in the January transfer window. However, he adamant he’s going no where.

"When I decided to sign a new contract less than a year ago it was because I wanted to stay. I gave my word and I want to fight and I will fight until the end," he told the Daily Mirror.

"At this moment we have to do the best for the club [Liverpool] and this means accepting the situation and trying to do our best.

"We have people who are monitoring every player. We will try to do something now but we also have to think about the future - we have to keep improving the squad."

Boss: We'll Train Hard

Rafa Benitez insists his players will continue to train hard over the coming days despite Sunday's clash with Spurs being postponed.

The squad will now be expected to turn its attention to Wednesday's FA Cup replay with Reading.

Benitez told Liverpoolfc.tv: "We were really disappointed it was called off because the players were in a good mood for the game and were really focused in training, but we have to accept the situation.

"We know we have a busy schedule now and we have the Europa League, so we have to do it (reschedule) as quickly as possible.

"We will continue training with maybe one day off, but we need to look at the next game in the FA Cup.

"It's very clear here in England that you have to approach each Cup game thinking it's a final. This is the way we'll do it."

Ryan Babel And Maxi Rodriguez Moves Frozen For Now

Rafa Benitez has reiterated his desire not to sell Ryan Babel during the transfer window – as Liverpool’s bid to land Maxi Rodriguez hit a slight stumbling block.

The Holland forward was the subject of £9m bid from Birmingham City this week that was hastily rebuffed by Benitez, who first stated his intention to keep Babel after the 1-1 FA Cup draw at Reading seven days ago.

Though he has found chances to shine limited during the current campaign, Benitez – whose side face a blank weekend after arctic conditions claimed tomorrow’s scheduled Anfield date with Tottenham – is not keen to part with Babel.

That’s why the manager will resist any further overtures for a player he brought to the club from Ajax in the summer of 2007.

“Always you have to listen to offers for players as that is part of the way football is going but the player wants to stay,” said Benitez.

“If Ryan plays to the level that we know he can, I will be very pleased. It’s very clear for us, we will train with the players every day and have them ready for the next game. You always have to think about what is best for the club.”

Benitez had hoped to be in a position to unveil Rodriguez yesterday but he is now being forced to be patient, as the Argentine wide man tries to thrash out a deal for money that he is owed by Atletico Madrid.

It should not be a fatal blow to the Reds’ ambitions of landing him but it is not an ideal situation for them to be in by any means.

“We are talking with Atletico,” said Benitez. “We have an agreement and we will see what happens but I cannot talk too much, as he is not our player.

“All I will say is that he is a player with experience of international football with Argentina and can score goals but, still, he is not our player. He has some problems with them and we have to wait.”

Dominic King: Rafa Benitez Should Not Have To Manage Liverpool FC's Debt

Ryan Babel has found his name the subject of debate on numerous occasions this season and that was again the case in the opening week of the new year.

This time, though, rather than sparking chatter about why he can look a world beater one moment but a bungling novice the next, the interest Birmingham City showed in Babel opened a completely different can of worms.

When news emerged that Birmingham, flush with cash following Carson Yeung’s takeover, wanted to make a marquee signing and felt they could do so with a £9m bid for Babel, the vast majority of Liverpool supporters immediately thought: “take it.”

After all, the Holland forward has flattered to deceive more times than many would care to mention, the fee looked enticing and represented a reasonable return on Liverpool’s initial outlay to Ajax in the summer of 2007.

Liverpool, however, had other ideas. Their valuation of Babel – who, remember, is still a current international, only just turned 23 and capable of producing extravagant moments of skill – is closer to £12m; they have no intentions of selling on the cheap.

On the surface, that is a totally plausible argument; good businesses do not sell commodities for prices lower than they have in mind and, furthermore, why would Babel be offloaded to a place where he could come back to haunt the Reds?

But scratch beneath the surface and there is another reason Rafa Benitez was anything but interested in talking terms with Alex McLeish, one that has set the alarms bells ringing loudly on the Kop and beyond.

While Liverpool are crying out for investment in their playing staff, had they cashed in on Babel, Benitez’s best hopes of spending a figure in excess of £9m this month would be to invest in a lottery ticket and hope all six numbers come up.

In the others words, the money would have been swallowed up to help finance the £240m debt the club is trying to manage; club insiders insist that is not the case and the deficit is manageable but critics of Tom Hicks and George Gillett will beg to differ.

True, it’s worth remembering the January window is capricious and top quality players – the type who would provide an injection of star quality Liverpool require – are not freely available; if they are, invariably clubs will have to pay over the odds.

Still it is hugely disappointing, to put it mildly, that Benitez will be limited to bringing just Maxi Rodriguez in for £1.5m when he also desperately needs experienced cover at right-back for the stricken Glen Johnson.

If he is unable to bring in a specialist for that area – and it is looking all the more likely – it will be hard to escape the feeling that Liverpool’s main aim for the next few years will be debt reduction rather than trophy gathering.

Something desperately needs to change; while many see a new stadium or a redeveloped Anfield being key to transforming Liverpool’s financial fortunes, isn’t there a case to be made for investing in the one facet that should always take priority – the team?

Just say the Reds miss out on qualifying for the Champions League this season and, heaven forbid, some of the star players are sold to make up the shortfall in revenue they would normally receive from rubbing shoulders with the best in Europe.

Slowly but surely, Liverpool would find it harder and harder to keep pace with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs, to the point where European football might slip off the landscape completely.

What would the point be in having a sparkling new stadium, then, if the standard of football on offer was way below what has become the norm during the past six years and the big names were out of reach?

The next five months will go a long way to shaping Liverpool’s future and if Benitez feels it is best to hang on to Babel, who might just turn a couple of games with the kind of moments he produced against Lyon and West Ham, then the decision not to sell is right.

Yet what is not right is the fact a club with the Liverpool’s history and pedigree is being forced to rummage around for bargains with nothing other than loose change; expectation and realisation, sadly, do not go hand in hand.