Pay row keeps Reds waiting for Max

Liverpool are confident that a money row between Maxi Rodriguez and Atletico Madrid will not derail the Argentine's £1.2 million move to Anfield.

Manager Rafa Benitez has agreed a fee with the Spanish club and Rodriguez has accepted the terms of an 18-month contract.

But the 29-year-old midfielder's arrival has been put in doubt by a stand-off with Atletico.

Rodriguez is demanding he is paid a £5 million loyalty bonus that would have been due to him had he stayed at the Vincente Calderon Stadium for the remaining six months of his contract.

Rodriguez has fallen out of favour with Atletico coach Enrique Sanchez Flores this season - despite scoring four goals in a Spanish Cup tie in November.

Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano both recommended him to Benitez having played with him for club and country respectively.

But Rodriguez is refusing to give up on the pay-off he will get at the end of the season after spending five years at Atletico.

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