MONEY IS NO OBJECT

THE interview will be shown during ITV1's UEFA Champions League Final: Preview From Athens, at 11.00pm tonight.

NEW Liverpool owner Tom Hicks has promised to back manager Rafa Benitez in the transfer market this summer - 'whatever the price'.

The American businessman bought the club for £220million with partner George Gillett in February.

And on the eve of the Champions League Final against AC Milan in Athens, Hicks has promised more investment to buy the world's best. "Liverpool should be one of the top one or two clubs in all of football - that's our ambition," he told ITV Sport.

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 "There will be substantial funds available to Rafa Benitez. It's player specific. If Rafa has a player he really wants - and who costs a lot of money but he can show where he fits in - we'll do it, whatever the price."

Liverpool's record transfer fee remains the £14m for Djibril Cisse in July 2004. But with the Reds linked with strikers Fernando Torres and Carlos Tevez, that figure looks set to be shattered as Benitez aims to build a squad capable of competing for the Premiership title, as well as the Champions League next season.

Yet Hicks is trusting his manager, whose biggest signing has been Dirk Kuyt for £9m, not to waste money.

"Rafa is a very smart man," he said. "He's not going to over-pay. There's been some very bad contracts signed but Rafa's smart about that, he's not afraid to step up. He's talked to us about some ideas, they're younger players without injury questions and who are highly motivated.

"We're prepared to sign a player at the very top end - the world's best if Rafa recommends it."

Key to the Americans' plan is the building of a new stadium with a capacity of 61,000 but which can be expanded to 'somewhere in the mid to high 70s'. Hicks said: "It's going to be unique to Liverpool, where the most prominent feature will be the new Kop. The new Kop will be bigger.

"It'll be like the symphony stage playing to the rest of the symphony hall. We'll create the stadium where it is an entertainment hall around the Kop. It's not going to be symmetrical, it's going to be unique. Each side is going to be different, which is the way stadiums have grown up in England."

Hicks, who owns the Dallas Stars NHL ice hockey club and the Texas Rangers baseball team in the MLB, picked out Pepe Reina as his favourite player after his penalty heroics in the semi-final win over Chelsea.

"With experience in hockey I know the value of the goaltender as it is there and the goalkeeper as it is in football. The goalkeeper is the most important player on the pitch."

The Texan says Liverpool will be underdogs against the Italians but added: "Rafa is such a good tactician, I'm counting on a win."

This all sounds very exciting for next season.  The enthusiasm that comes from Gillett and Hicks is really endearing and i'm becoming more and more convinced that they are perfect for us.  I like the fact there will be room to expand the stadium and they come across as so keen to give the fans the best stadium possible.  It's going to be interesting to see who Rafa goes for now if he knows they'll back him all the way. 

Sounds very good and really looking forward to watchin that tonight....

Like the idea of the stadium looking different from all sides as some of the newer stadiums look ok but boring and all the same..........

re the stadium, they have said its going to cost a lot more than the old design really excited about what it will look like just hope the stands don't look so different they look like they have been taken from different stadiums !??

This all seems very exciting i hope all the promises will come through
It looks like the cub is moving in the right direction
Looking forward to seeing this tonight

Cmon Liverpool Bring home Number 6!!!!!!!!!!

YNWA

re the stadium, they have said its going to cost a lot more than the old design really excited about what it will look like just hope the stands don't look so different they look like they have been taken from different stadiums !??

I don't suppose there are any pictures of what the new ground will look like are there? Must be a leak some where in cyber space!

Well this is sounding most interesting, a bigger stadium and loads of money, here's hoping it's spent well

Rafa definitely won't overpay for players and now has the funds to bring in some more talent. From reading Pako's interview, we're still a bit off from winning the premiership it seems, but it sounds like we're moving in the right direction. Exciting stuff!!

Just killing time to watch the programme in an hour cant wait to see who we bring in.

Just seen a mini clip on ITV - these two Americans have got ALL the Liverpool qualities. 

David Moores - you pulled a blinder when you pulled out of the DIC deal for these two.

Just seen a mini clip on ITV - these two Americans have got ALL the Liverpool qualities. 

David Moores - you pulled a blinder when you pulled out of the DIC deal for these two.

Just seen Mr Hicks on bbc news 24, saying "our fans are quite resourceful. There'll be more than 17000 in that ground"....

The media seem to have really got stuck into the story about Rafas comments about this.

I just hope that the money is available soon for us to go out and get the players he thinks we need.

We all know the fall out he had at Valencia when they did not back him after achieving some success.

Losing our spanish boss would be a complete disaster.

The media seem to have really got stuck into the story about Rafas comments about this.

I just hope that the money is available soon for us to go out and get the players he thinks we need.

We all know the fall out he had at Valencia when they did not back him after achieving some success.

Losing our spanish boss would be a complete disaster.

It wont happen mate, Gillet and Hicksy know the score, and they know the man. In big business there is an old saying, you have to speculate to accumulate I wouldnt be surprised to see Eto'o this summer, and I make no bones about this either.

Dont think we got any worries there Jabs,  Gillette & Co think the sun shines outta his ar*se !!  Just like we do 

Well done Rafa for his comments.  So many times in recent years the club seem to be in slumber when it comes to signing new players and re-newing contracts, things always seem to go at a snails pace.  It seems a lot of the comments were directed at Rick Parry who is not having a good month really.  I have heard fans talk about incompitence with regards to the chief exec.  but as i'm an OOT i wouldn't know myself.
All the Americans can really do now is show us the colour of their money and I think they will.  Hicks and Gillett, along with Benitez, recognise that the club, with the support of the fans has the potential the be THE top club in the world.
Hicks and Gillett say they will pay for whoever Rafa wants and I trust the manager to pick the right players.  Despite the fact we lost on Wednesday night i also think the final can only help us to get the really top players as the team showed it had improved on the pitch, the fact it was a 2nd final in 3 years showed the potential for sustained success and the support was truly amazing.  Hopefully it will be a great summer.