Benitez tells Liverpool owners to end their feud

Rafa Benitez has called on Liverpool’s feuding owners to resolve their differences so he can plan for the future.

American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have been at loggerheads for months and Benitez is worried he will miss out on transfer targets if there is a lack of direction from the board.

The Spanish coach talked with Hicks at Liverpool’s Melwood training ground before Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final against Chelsea and told the tycoon what he needs to make the team into title challengers.

“We have two owners and a chief executive. I need to progress, I have a responsibility as manager to prepare the squad for the future, to improve the squad,” Benitez said.

“I had to talk to them (the owners). It was a good, positive meeting. We have talked about targets in the transfer market and how this club must progress.

“I have not spoken to them about the ongoing situation, only how to improve and how to progress.

“It is important to sign the right players for the future, that was what I wanted to talk about.

“Now we have started to progress with some of our targets. It is okay, last week and this week it is the same. We are progressing so I believe we will be stronger next season.

“You need to keep going if you want to improve, that is what is really important.”

Benitez wants funds to move for Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry and Blackburn’s David Bentley and hopes the meeting with Hicks will be the start of an outbreak of detente between the warring camps.

“We have had a very positive meeting. We talked of how to progress in the future,” he said.

“We need to work together, and he (Hicks) agreed with me that we must talk together. If we want to go forward and sign players, we have to all work together.

“Everything is positive. We have talked about targets to sign, that is my aim.

“I do not doubt we will achieve those targets. I have a scouting department that is working and progressing. Now I have told the owners how we need to progress.

“Clearly I expect agreement on recruiting players for the summer. We are ready now for going forward.

“George knows about what was said, everybody knows. Everyone has the same information.”