NEGOTIATIONS between Liverpool FC’s American owners and their bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, are likely to extend past today’s refinancing deadline.

Talks between Tom Hicks and George Gillett and RBS have been ongoing for months, and, despite the fact agreement is not likely to be reached today, both sides appear relaxed.

A source close to negotiations said the deadline should be treated as fairly fluid, with negotiations continuing.

All indications thus far are that the bank will refinance the £350m debt, although last night RBS declined to comment.

Last month, it took the unprecedented step of writing to Liverpool Football Club’s supporters to justify its continuing financial support of the club’s American co-owners.

The bank was flooded with emails from Liverpool fans calling for the plug to be pulled on Hicks and Gillett’s £350m debt.

Discussions on refinancing the loan, are understood to be “progressing well”. The sending of the email is virtual confirmation that the loan will be refinanced.

The message from RBS says the bank has a “long-term relationship with the club, and we look forward to this continuing for many years to come.

“In our view and that of the executive management of the club, it is financially healthy and able to service comfortably its debt obligations from cash flow generated by its playing and commercial activities.

“It is in our commercial interest to support the club . . . so that it can continue to perform successfully on and off the pitch.

“RBS is the main banker to the club including all of its operating accounts, cash management, online banking, automated payments, and credit card processing to facilitate ticket sales and retail merchandising.

“We also lent money to the club’s parent, Kop Football Limited, so that it could repay debt which was on the balance sheet of the club at the time of its acquisition.

“This is the only portion of Kop Football’s bank debt for which the club is legally responsible.”