BENITEZ GIVEN£40M TO BRIDGE SPENDING GAP

Rafael Benítez is to receive unprecedented backing in the transfer market at the end of the season, with Liverpool's new American owners telling their manager that they intend to bankroll a summer of spending as they seek to make an immediate impact on their adopted sport.

While George Gillett and Tom Hicks, who completed their takeover of the Merseyside club last month, have already stressed that they will not match the lavish spending of Roman Abramovich following the Russian oligarch's purchase of Chelsea, they have effectively informed Benítez that money is not an issue in terms of his close-season plans, granting him more financial clout than any previous Liverpool manager. The Americans are already committed to spending some £270m on a new stadium in Stanley Park, which is due to be completed in late 2008.

The new owners attended Saturday's 4-1 victory over Arsenal and met with Benítez for four hours of discussions at the club's training complex on Sunday, to outline their long-term strategy. "We were talking about ideas for the future and it was good," the Spaniard said yesterday. "It was very positive and, for me, the future of the club is brilliant. They [Gillett and Hicks] said that we will go in the right direction."

Benítez, who has also emphasised the need to improve youth development, would not discuss the figures involved last night, but it is understood that the funds at his disposal will be in excess of £40m. That would allow Liverpool to compete at the top end of the market for players, the more so given Abramovich's recent apparent attempt to rein in his spending at Stamford Bridge, granting the Spaniard far more leeway than he has enjoyed since arriving on Merseyside in 2004.

The manager has spent heavily since then, though he has largely been forced to buy in bulk, bringing in a number of players, some of whom have been recruited purely with the future in mind, for a combined figure totalling around £20m each summer. Confirmation that he will now be able to set his sights higher and lure more established talent to Anfield - particularly given his long-standing interest in Daniel Alves at Sevilla, Samuel Eto'o at Barcelona and Valencia's David Villa, all of whom had previously been out of his reach - will encourage both the manager and supporters, even if it should hardly come as a surprise.

Gillett, due in Eindhoven this afternoon for tonight's Champions League quarter-final at the Philips Stadion, and Hicks have already proved themselves willing to invest heavily in baseball and ice hockey in the United States and are now keen to demonstrate their commitment to Liverpool having ventured into new territory in the Premiership. The need to do so was made clear by Benítez, who has expressed concerns recently that Liverpool have been slipping further adrift of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.

Indeed, his achievements in claiming the European Cup and maintaining his team's challenge this term on a middling budget - albeit only in comparison to that of the Premiership champions - had seen his reputation soar on the continent. "But you can only be a genius if you have good players," he said. "You can be the best tactician in the world, but you must have the players who understand what you want of them and can do what you ask of them. You have your ideas, but the players decide in the end."

From now on in, Liverpool should be in a better position to ensure they boast that calibre of player as they seek a first domestic league title since 1990.

Manager's spending

04-05
Total spending £15.85m
Costliest buy Xabi Alonso, £10.8m

05-06
Total spending £28.9m
Costliest buy Peter Crouch, £7m

06-07
Total spending £29.7m
Costliest buy Dirk Kuyt, £10.9m