Benitez set to spend
03 Apr 2007 - 09:30:01
Reports suggest that Liverpool's new American owners will give boss Rafael Benitez more than £40million to spend on strengthening his squad in the summer.
George Gillett and Tom Hicks completed their takeover of the Reds last month, and are already committed to spending approximately £270million on a new stadium in Stanley Park, which is due to be completed in late 2008.
Benitez met the club's new owners on Sunday, and said: "We were talking about ideas for the future and it was good.
"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."
Benitez has been linked with Sevilla's Daniel Alves, Samuel Eto'o of Barcelona and Valencia's David Villa in the past and may now have the financial muscle to tempt them to move to Merseyside.
The Reds boss has expressed concerns in the past that he was incapable of competing in the transfer marker against Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal, saying: "You can only be a genius if you have good players.
"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."