DON'T LET BARCA KOP ALONSO
PSV v LIVERPOOL, TUES, 7.45pm Benitez plea to new owners
Simon Mullock
RAFA BENITEZ will tell Liverpool's new owners to make Barcelona target Xabi Alonso their first big-money signing when he meets George Gillett and Tom Hicks today.
The American duo, who completed their £450m Anfield takeover during the week, will sit down for discussions with Benitez after watching the Reds beat Arsenal yesterday.
And while Liverpool fans are hoping that Gillett and Hicks will hand Benitez a promise of a huge summer transfer kitty, Sunday Mirror Sport can reveal that the Kop boss's top priority is to secure midfielder Alonso on a long-term contract that will keep him out of Barcelona's clutches and tie him to Merseyside until 2012.
That will mean hiking up Alonso's wages to about £75,000 a week. But Benitez is aware that new transfer regulations will mean the Spanish international will be able to buy himself out of the remaining two years of his existing deal in the summer for about £5million.
And he knows Barca are waiting to pounce should planned contract negotiations fail. Benitez will also instruct Gillett and Hicks to secure both Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher on new deals.
The home-grown pair will be free to buy out their contracts in June 2008 now that players have been made aware of an obscure FIFA rule which enables them to buy their way out of contracts using a formula that takes into account salary levels and transfer fees.
Because Alonso has been at Anfield for three years and is entering the final two years of his current deal, he can trigger the legislation to open the way for a move to the Nou Camp in the summer.
Benitez said: "I know there is a need to talk to the new owners about Xabi so that we can analyse what the situation is. I will tell them that Xabi is a key player for us."
The Liverpool manager has been kept informed of Barcelona's ambitions to sign Alonso by his extensive network of contacts in his homeland.
Alonso last night admitted: "When I look at my whole career you never know what will happen. What happens in the future nobody knows.
"I can't say I know anything about rumours I will join Barcelona. We are still in the season and there is no way I will think about such things. For now, I am very happy at Liverpool."
Benitez has been pacified by Hicks and Gillett in the fortnight since we revealed that he was Real Madrid's No.1 target to replace Fabio Capello for next season.
The Americans assured the Spaniard in a series of telephone calls that they share his vision for the future after being made aware of his frustrations.
The Liverpool boss is happy for the Americans to settle into their new roles before demanding to know exactly how much money will be made available for reinforcements.
But he knows that his bargaining position will be strengthened if he can guide Liverpool past PSV Eindhoven and into the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Liverpool travel to Holland for the first leg having already drawn in Eindhoven during the group stages before winning the return 2-0 at Anfield.
But PSV coach Ronald Koeman was in charge of Benfica when the Portuguese stripped Liverpool of their European crown last year.
And Benitez warned: "We have to remember what happened against Benfica. We thought we had a good draw and we were expected to win, but we went out."
It's only The Sunday Mirror but I thought it was worth a mention.
El Niño 
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