GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) - Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez signaled Thursday he won't be used as a pawn in the battle between feuding owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr.
Benitez insists he won't be favoring either camp after discussing transfer targets with Hicks at the club's training ground.
"George knows about what was said - everybody knows, everyone has the same information," Benitez said. "We have two owners and a chief executive. I need to progress. I have a responsibility as manager to prepare the squad for the future, to improve the squad.
"We need to work together, and he (Hicks) agreed with me that we must talk together. If we want to go forward and sign players, we have to all work together. Everything is positive. We have talked about targets to sign, that is my aim."
Benitez is steering clear of the boardroom brawl.
"I have not spoken to them about the ongoing situation, only how to improve and how to progress," he said.
Hicks has threatened to stop Gillett selling his 50-percent stake to PCP Capital Partners, whose senior partner Amanada Staveley is working with Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to rescue the Reds.
But the Dubai camp is confident of sealing a deal by the end of May, a financial executive close to the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. He was speaking of condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the deal.
The exact timeline depends on whether Liverpool reaches the Champions League final on May 21.
The Reds were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea in the first leg of the semifinals at Anfield, and play the return leg at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
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