Purslow toes Liverpool party line

Soccer: Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow has echoed Rafael Benitez's "guarantee" that the Merseysiders will qualify…

Soccer:Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow has echoed Rafael Benitez's "guarantee" that the Merseysiders will qualify for next season's Champions League and insisted he and the American owners are not considering life without the Spaniard.

Earlier in the season, Benitez controversially said his side would definitely finish in the top four, in what was seen by some as rope to hang himself with.

However, Purslow insists Benitez is going nowhere, despite strong interest from Juventus.

He added that Liverpool, currently fifth in the league and in the latter stages of the Europa League, are confident of keeping their top players.

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"We will be in the Champions League, for sure. We are not a selling club," Purslow told Spanish paper AS.

"We have not considered, nor are we going to consider, a future without Benitez.

"The plan calls for five years of stability in the coaching staff and the (playing) staff.

"It is normal that big clubs are interested in Rafa. The coach himself has denied (the rumours linking him to Juventus).

Meanwhile Liverpool hope to give new life to their plans to build a 60,000-seat stadium by bringing in new investors before the end of the season.

With plans to move to a new stadium in Stanley Park currently on hold the Anfield club have begun the search for new funding to bring them back on track.

Purslow said: "When I arrived we agreed with the owners that we had to look for new investors.

"There are interested parties and I would like to get it sorted out before the end of this season. Without investment there won't be a new stadium."

But if they do not find new investment Liverpool will look to try to compete with their rivals by remaining at Anfield.

He added: "That's plan B: run the club in the most responsible way possible.

"We are generating a healthy profit and meeting our obligations, while remaining competitive in the transfer market and with the wages we are paying."