Players to follow Benitez's example

Rafael Benitez's new five-year contract is likely to spark a rush of new deals for several of the club's top stars.

The Liverpool chief ended months of bitter wrangling over his future by signing a new contract last night that will keep him at Anfield until 2014.

But, while Benitez has been in protracted negotiations with co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, many of his top stars have put their own futures on hold.

Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt admits he was advised to wait until Benitez's own deal had been concluded before opening negotiations over his new deal.

And Danish defender Daniel Agger's new contract seemed to have stalled some weeks ago.

There could also be likely new deals for striker Fernando Torres, skipper Steven Gerrard and goalkeeper Jose Reina.

The stability Benitez's own deal will bring to Anfield should also trigger similar commitments from several players, some of whom had privately intimated they would consider their futures if the Spaniard left.

Benitez now has control over the club's transfer budget - one of the concessions he insisted on in his new deal - and that should allow him to secure the long-term futures of several star names.

And he will almost certainly now make another bid this summer to bring Aston Villa's Gareth Barry to Liverpool, having failed to sign the England midfielder last summer after weeks of acrimony with Villa chief Martin O'Neill.

Benitez will now be able to plan Liverpool's future in the long term, and said after signing the new deal last night: 'My heart is with Liverpool, so I'm delighted to sign this new deal.

'I love the club, the fans and the city and, with a club like this and supporters like this, I could never say no to staying.

'I always made clear I wanted to be here for a long time and, when I complete my new contract, it will mean I have spent over a decade in Liverpool.

'The club is greatly respected around the world due to its incredible history and tremendous heritage.

'It is my aim to uphold those values and help create a new chapter in our history. Throughout this process, I would like to thank the owners for their hard work in finalising the deal.

'All of us at the club want the same thing, which is to be successful by winning major trophies.'

Hicks confident Benitez would stay

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks insists he was never worried about Rafael Benitez's long-term future at the club.

Internal politics had led to doubts about his position at the club but Hicks believes there was never a real possibility of him leaving.

'I was never worried we would lose Rafa Benitez,' Hicks told Sky Sports News.

The American is happy with the Reds' improvement in the Premier League and added: 'We have a chance to catch Manchester United. It's not a great chance, but it's a chance.

'These things are complicated. A five-year contract is complicated, so I'm just relieved we finally got it done.

'From the supporters' point of view, to have it done on top of such a great week on the pitch is great.'

Hicks played down long-running reports that the delay was down to a power struggle - and in particular wrangling over transfer policy.

'That was in the media but it was never really true,' he said.

'I sat down with Rafa a couple of months ago and he made it very clear that he knows a manager can't have control over transfer budget.

'He has had his frustrations over the last five years and those are well chronicled but he will make the recommendations about which players we sign and the new CEO, the owners and the board will make the final financial commitment. And that is the way it needs to be.'