Broughton eyes bright Reds future

New Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton hopes the pending sale of the club will herald a new era of stability and growth at Anfield.

The relationship between co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett has been fractious at times and months of speculation about who was selling whose share or part-share has been counter-productive in the quest to find new investment.

Now the Americans have agreed to put the whole club up for sale it is likely to generate far more interest.

However, Broughton, the British Airways chairman who has been brought in along with advisors Barclays Capital to oversee the sale, insists he is searching for the right buyer to take the club forward.

And just coming up with the cash will only be part of the deal, with Broughton looking for a cast-iron commitment to get the long-awaited new stadium in Stanley Park built.

"This will make a difference. This will clarify the ownership position," he said on Hicks and Gillett's joint decision to sell.

"What's been hanging over the club is the ownership, the debts etc; so this will be a very good thing for Liverpool.

"What's best for the club is somebody or bodies to come in and build the new stadium, make sure that the club is properly financed and that there is enough money available to take the club forward.

"I have looked at the stadium project and frankly there is an overwhelming financial logic to any buyer to proceed with the stadium. Any buyer would be crazy not to do so.

"They wouldn't get to be the winning bid without that commitment."

Hicks and Gillett spent around £220million on buying Liverpool in 2007 but look like having to lower their current asking price of £500million.

Broughton has assured manager Rafael Benitez he will get a summer transfer budget, although he did not specify how much, and there was no compulsion to sell the likes of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

News of the sale was given a cautious welcome by Benitez, who wants to see the finer details of what any proposed takeover would mean for him in terms of team-building.

"It seems the club is moving forward and so that is positive. It could be good news," said Benitez, 50 yesterday.

"But the chairman can talk about investment and I can concentrate on the games we have left.

"My responsibility is to do the best for the team and on the pitch is where I can make a difference."

Broughton also expressed the club's desire for Benitez to remain as manager.

The Spaniard has been linked with Juventus again this week and come the summer there will be more speculation surrounding the manager's job at Real Madrid.

"Rafa is a good manager. We want him to stay and he's under contract to stay," added Broughton.

"I think everybody concerned - fans, players and the manager - can all look forward to a very bright future."

Benitez is eager to sit down and discuss his long-term plan with Broughton but he has other more pressing issues.

Top of those is the fitness of Torres, who is due to fly back to Spain as soon as flight restrictions imposed because of the cloud of volcanic dust are lifted.

The striker was scheduled to see specialist Dr Ramon Cugat, the man who operated on his knee in January, yesterday but had to stay in England.

Benitez will not risk playing Torres until he has had a second examination in Barcelona, which puts his participation in Monday's home match against West Ham in doubt.

"It is positive he (Broughton) said he wants me to stay but I've not spoken to him yet so in our first meeting we can talk about everything," said the Liverpool boss.

"I am sure we will have a very good conversation about the present and the future but at the moment I am more concerned about things like Torres."

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.