Liverpool are on the brink of offering manager Rafael Benitez a new contract, according to the club's official website.

Benitez will apparently meet with club owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks next week, after months of acrimonious dealings and bust-ups in the boardroom and in the media.

Benitez said: "I received a phone call from Tom Hicks on behalf of George Gillett also. They are talking about a meeting with my advisors and a contract extension. This is very positive news.

"We decided to meet in the next week and now my advisors are in contact with them. We haven't spoken about the length of the contract but we talked and we all want to find a solution as soon as possible.

"For me it's easy. I want to stay here - I am where I want to be. It's very simple."

He added: "My family and I know how good the fans have been with us. The club is going forward and we have the new stadium project. There are a lot of positive things.

"I want to stay here for a long time. Clearly I would like to be here when the new stadium opens. The other day I was joking that if they offered me a 20-year contract I'd be really pleased."