John W Henry and Tom Werner, Liverpool’s principal owner and chairman respectively, have held talks with Roberto Martinez about the vacant manager’s job at Anfield and will travel to England next week to try to conclude the search for a successor to Kenny Dalglish.

The Wigan Athletic manager interrupted a holiday in the Caribbean to meet the Liverpool hierarchy in Miami yesterday.

Martinez is the first candidate on Liverpool’s shortlist to undergo a formal interview with Henry and Werner but will not be the last, with the owners intending to speak to several managers in England next week.

Details of the Miami meeting were revealed by Wigan’s chairman, Dave Whelan, who had set Martinez a deadline to decide on his future amid further interest from Aston Villa

Guardian Service