Benitez wants to stay

Manuel Garcia Quillon, the agent of Rafa Benitez, has insisted that his client wants to stay at Liverpool despite Liverpool admitting they have spoken to Jurgen Klinsmann. Benitez has had a number of high-profile feuds with American owners Hicks and Gillett.

Quillon said to The Times: "Rafa wants to stay at Liverpool. He is happy with the club, with the supporters and with the city. He does not want to leave."

Liverpool legend Ian Rush accused the American tycoons of undermining the great traditions at Anfield after they admitted lining up Klinsmann to replace Benitez.

"Now people are going to say the club is a laughing stock. In many ways, you can understand that because this is not the way Liverpool normally do things.

"The tradition of the club - and the very thing that has made them so hugely respected throughout the world - is to do everything in-house, not out in the open like this.

"Look at Newcastle - we certainly don't want to get like that. That's just change for the sake of it. With Harry Redknapp turning them down, it's just going to drag on and on. That doesn't help anyone.

"Now we all know that in football these days there's only one winner - the owners.

"But admitting that Klinsmann was approached is poor timing and puts a lot more pressure on Rafa.

"It's not just upsetting for Rafa but for the players and the fans as well. Everything seemed to be dying down a bit but now it's all been blown up again."