It has emerged that Liverpool did indeed make Jurgen Klinsmann an offer to take over from Rafael Benitez. But the club owners are insisting that the move was made back in November when they were afraid that Benitez would leave the club.

On the BBC Sports site today Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks confirmed that a move was made as an insurance policy in case Benitez left for Real Madrid or one of the other clubs rumoured to be after him.

The move had been made amidst growing communication problems between partners Hicks and Gillett and manager Benitez, and at a time when it looked likely that Liverpool would be knocked out of the Champions League. The situation has since been resolved with Liverpool having won through the initial stages of the Champions league and after meeting Benitez for clear the air talks.

It is still likely to come as a shock to Rafa none the less, despite reassurances that the negotiations with Klinsmann were never anything more than preliminary.