LONDON - Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has insisted he will leave Anfield if striker Fernando Torres is sold without his consent.

LONDON - Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has insisted he will leave Anfield if striker Fernando Torres is sold without his consent.

The Merseysiders' debts have led to speculation about what American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett would do if a big-money offer came in for the Premier League club's star forward.

But Benitez told yesterday's edition of The Times that his fellow Spaniard wasn't going anywhere.

"I'm confident it will never happen," he said. "If it did, I'd resign."

Liverpool's financial position means they cannot match the spending of fellow "Big Four" sides such as Manchester United and Chelsea.

"When we have spent big, normally it's been very good business," Benitez said. "Torres, (Javier) Mascherano, (Pepe) Reina, (Xabi) Alonso.

"(Robbie) Keane is a good player but we had to sell him because he was not playing at the level we knew he could play. Ryan (Babel) was signed for the future and we are waiting for his improvement. He has to be more consistent.

"With the fringe players, we needed to take a gamble on Bosmans and one, (or) two million pound players."

"Some of these players have not been good enough for us.

"It is a risk you have to accept when there is not too much money about."

Liverpool areseventh on the Premier League table. - Sapa-AFP