Benitez is known to have been disgruntled by the lack of progress in his search for reinforcements, particularly in view of Manchester United's projected £55 million outlay on three new players. The Spaniard has expressed displeasure in conference calls with Rick Parry, the chief executive, and Gillett and Tom Hicks, the co-owners, whose working relationship is not running smoothly, but Gillett moved to defuse the crisis talk yesterday in characteristically colourful terms.

"I read that Rafa is throwing hand-grenades at us and making demands, that there's a tension or disagreement between him and the Gillett and Hicks families," Gillett said. "Nothing could be farther from the truth. As far back as February, Rafa laid out a programme for us. Each one of our sports businesses has a core concept. You can't just flop around looking at opportunities here and there, go left, go right. It has to be part of an integrated plan.

"We have one at Liverpool, one we understand 100 per cent, believe in and support. The plan involves us spending money, but it will be part of a plan, not just spending like a drunken sailor."

Benitez has come to accept that the Americans' promise of support in the transfer market does not equate to the blank chequebook that he envisaged after his initial conversations. That feeling was reinforced at the weekend, when it emerged that a shopping list previously headed by Samuel Eto'o, the Barcelona forward, includes less inspiring names such as Diego Forlán, the Villarreal striker whose name was synonymous with profligacy during 2½ unsuccessful seasons with Manchester United.

Talks are continuing behind the scenes with a view to signing at least one top-class winger possibly Mancini, of AS Roma, or Florent Malouda, of Lyons, although the latter is also courting interest from Arsenal and Chelsea and a centre forward, but these talks have not always been harmonious.

While much has been made of tension between Benitez and Parry, particularly about the time of the Champions League final , there have also been disagreements between Gillett and Hicks over the money they should be making available to strengthen the squad.

It is increasingly clear to Benitez that his transfer kitty this summer will be more modest than he thought when he was making plans to sign Eto'o. He is also likely to have to look beyond his secondary targets such as Carlos Tévez, of West Ham United, Fernando Torres, of Atlético Madrid, and David Villa, of Valencia to a list that includes forwards such as David Trezeguet, of Juventus, Darren Bent, of Charlton Athletic, Diego Milito, of Real Zaragoza and Forlán. There is support within the club for a bid to resign Michael Owen from Newcastle United, but Benitez is cool on the matter.

Much will depend on the amount of funding Benitez is able to raise by selling players. Negotiations are continuing with Marseilles this week over a deal for Djibril Cissé, who spent last season on loan to the French club and is also attracting interest from Bolton Wanderers, while Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United have registered strong interest in Craig Bellamy.