Rafa close to new Reds deal

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has confirmed he has agreed the length of a potential new contract at Anfield as well as the salary on offer.

However he is baffled about reports that he is on a collision course with the club's American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett about the remaining terms of the deal. It was reported that Benitez had demanded complete control over transfers and more say in the running of the club's youth academy.

However he told the Liverpool Echo: "I don't have any problems at all with the American owners. My agent only received the draft document of my contract yesterday (Sunday) evening."

He added: "So my surprise is that some journalists can talk about there being problems before I have even read it properly and discussed it.

"We have agreed the length of contract and we have agreed the salary. Now we have to discuss my role and my responsibilities as manager of the club.

"But we haven't had the opportunity to do that. Someone has information and clearly wants to create a mess, but I haven't discussed anything yet."