Benitez battling to keep stars

Rafael Benitez is fighting a defiant rearguard action to keep his top stars at Anfield as it becomes clear the club’s American owners will win the battle to re-finance the loans they took out to buy the club in 2007.

Earlier this week, the Liverpool manager made it clear, by insisting he would “bring in one or two new players” this summer, he has been forced to significantly downgrade his transfer targets as the true financial position affecting owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett became apparent.