Benitez to sign ‘œwithin days’

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez will this week put pen to paper on a new deal to keep him at the club until 2013, according to reports.

The Mirror reports that after months on negotiations between Benitez and club owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, an agreement has been reached.

The Spaniard originally rejected the club’s first contract offer, insisting he should have more say over transfer policy, bitter about missing out on finalising a deal to take Gareth Barry from Aston Villa last summer.

The newspaper also says Benitez demanded more involvement with the club’s youth system and Academy.

It quotes a club ‘œinsider’ as saying, “All issues have now been resolved and the contract should be signed within days.”

We’ll bring you more on this story over the next few days as the news becomes official.