Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton has insisted there is no danger of the club selling Fernando Torres or Steven Gerrard.
Liverpool's parent company Kop Holdings has announced a loss before tax of £54.9million, while the club itself made an operating loss before tax of £16million in the year ending 31st July, 2009.
Reports have suggested that rivals could now look to test Liverpool's resolve by lodging big-money offers for captain Gerrard or talismanic striker Torres.
The Reds will be desperate to re-establish themselves next season after missing out on a place in the UEFA Champions League and Broughton has assured fans that Torres and Gerrard remain integral to Rafa Benitez's team.
"There is absolutely no reason to sell either Torres or Gerrard" said the British Airways chairman, brought in last month by co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to oversee the sale of the club.
"I don't want to sell either of them. Rafa does not want to sell either of them, the club is not looking to sell them.
"We don't need to do it to pay off any debt.
"Torres is one of the great players and every club would love to have him. We have got him and there is no intention of selling him."
Broughton held talks with Benitez earlier this week regarding the search for new owners and also plans for the summer squad rebuilding.
There are further get-togethers scheduled but with debt levels increasing at the club it seems unlikely Benitez will be handed the £50million-plus he feels he needs to get the club back into Champions League contention.
"We have met, it was a frank exchange of views, constructive and very helpful," said Broughton.
"The squad does need strengthening and that is an ongoing process which will not be stopped by the sale.
"We have sat down with Rafa to determine what is the strength of it (the squad), what it needs, who are the right players and who needs to be sold.
"What I have asked from Rafa is what any football club board ask at the end of the season.
"It is for an appraisal of each of the players, where the weak links are, which players he would prefer to sell if he had the opportunity, which positions he needs to fill, who are his prime candidates and what would be his priorities."
Broughton also revealed he hoped new owners would be in place at Anfield in a 'matter of months'.
"Success for me is completing a sale within a relatively short period - a matter of months - to someone who, hindsight says, was a very good owner for Liverpool," he told the club's official website.
Liverpool's parent company Kop Holdings has announced a loss before tax of £54.9million, while the club itself made an operating loss before tax of £16million in the year ending 31st July, 2009.
Reports have suggested that rivals could now look to test Liverpool's resolve by lodging big-money offers for captain Gerrard or talismanic striker Torres.
The Reds will be desperate to re-establish themselves next season after missing out on a place in the UEFA Champions League and Broughton has assured fans that Torres and Gerrard remain integral to Rafa Benitez's team.
"There is absolutely no reason to sell either Torres or Gerrard" said the British Airways chairman, brought in last month by co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to oversee the sale of the club.
"I don't want to sell either of them. Rafa does not want to sell either of them, the club is not looking to sell them.
"We don't need to do it to pay off any debt.
"Torres is one of the great players and every club would love to have him. We have got him and there is no intention of selling him."
Broughton held talks with Benitez earlier this week regarding the search for new owners and also plans for the summer squad rebuilding.
There are further get-togethers scheduled but with debt levels increasing at the club it seems unlikely Benitez will be handed the £50million-plus he feels he needs to get the club back into Champions League contention.
"We have met, it was a frank exchange of views, constructive and very helpful," said Broughton.
"The squad does need strengthening and that is an ongoing process which will not be stopped by the sale.
"We have sat down with Rafa to determine what is the strength of it (the squad), what it needs, who are the right players and who needs to be sold.
"What I have asked from Rafa is what any football club board ask at the end of the season.
"It is for an appraisal of each of the players, where the weak links are, which players he would prefer to sell if he had the opportunity, which positions he needs to fill, who are his prime candidates and what would be his priorities."
Broughton also revealed he hoped new owners would be in place at Anfield in a 'matter of months'.
"Success for me is completing a sale within a relatively short period - a matter of months - to someone who, hindsight says, was a very good owner for Liverpool," he told the club's official website.
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