RAFAEL BENITEZ’S future will be decided next month amid a growing belief the Spaniard’s tenure at Liverpool is drawing to a close.

The uncertainty that has engulfed Anfield since Thursday showed no signs of abating over the weekend with both the manager and the club’s American owners refusing to budge on their stance over transfer policy.

The two parties remain on collision course after Benitez on Saturday ignored the advice of Tom Hicks and George Gillett and reiterated his criticism over what he perceives as the pair dragging their heels over dealings for the forthcoming January window.

Hicks and Gillett responded yesterday by issuing a second joint statement inside four days stating they plan to address the matter with Benitez when they make their next scheduled visit to Merseyside for the home clash with Manchester United on December 16.

However, the Americans did not go as far as commenting on reports that Benitez will be sacked and failed to offer their unequivocal backing to the Spaniard, fuelling the feeling that they have lost faith in the manager.

Benitez’s position is all the more precarious given his working relationship with chief executive Rick Parry is also presently at a low ebb.

With Liverpool having entered a pivotal four-week period that will shape the remainder of their season, an uneasy peace will persist until Hicks and Gillett cross the Atlantic next month.

Benitez, who would be in line for a substantial pay-off if dismissed, has again insisted he has no intention of quitting the club.

But it now appears increasingly likely that only a total climbdown by the Spaniard will ultimately save him from being removed from a position he has filled since replacing Gerard Houllier in June 2004.

A joint statement from Hicks and Gillett read yesterday: “Despite speculation in today’s newspapers, there is nothing new to say. We had a good win yesterday and have got some very important games coming up starting with Porto on Wednesday, followed by Bolton and Reading, before Marseille and Manchester United in a few weeks.

“Both of us, together with chief executive Rick Parry, plan to meet with Rafa when we come over in mid-December to make decisions on the team’s requirements at that time.”

Benitez’s concerns lie not only in missing out on his transfer targets, but also on being unable to sanction the sale of present members of the squad.

The manager is prepared to let up to three players leave while revealing that there are “two options we have at the moment” for bringing in reinforcements.

It is a case of history repeating itself for Benitez. He left as coach of Extremadura after speaking out about not having sufficient funds to avoid relegation, with the same situation occurring at Tenerife.

Benitez’s most bitter dispute then came at Valencia when he fell out with chief executive Manuel Llorente and sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch over transfer targets. The latter left the club, but Benitez in any case resigned to take over at Liverpool.

The Spaniard has already called on the American owners to move swiftly in the transfer market in the aftermath of Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat in Athens in May.

Privately the joint owners took a dim view of the public outburst the morning after the 2-1 defeat to AC Milan, although they supported a summer spending spree in excess of £40million. Liverpool recouped around £20m of that on player sales.

Of Hicks and Gillett, Benitez said on Saturday: “They don’t understand what the transfer window means in Europe. They need to understand how difficult it is to sign a player and, when the possibility comes, you must do it or you will lose him.

“It is like when a new player comes in, they need to settle in and understand what happens.

“Mr Hicks wants the best for the club and we want the best for the club. We know what it means to sign players right now. I wasn’t asking about spending money – I was asking about free players.

“Hicks wants the best for the club – me too. I’ve been here three years and I know football in Europe and the passion for the club.

“We need to talk to agents and sign players now. If we don’t we will lose targets and need to do something in the summer which would be far more expensive. Hopefully it will be resolved because we want the best for the club.

“That means to sign players like (Andriy) Voronin, or to sign players like the two options we have at this moment.”

Benitez traced the present impasse back to his most recent meeting with the American owners last month, and added: “It was really, really positive, but after this meeting it was a surprise to me that something changed. I tried to explain my ideas and they told me to keep focusing on the team because Rick Parry is in charge of buying and selling players, so okay, we will see.

“I’m sure Mr Hicks knows what I want. I have a very good squad and want to improve the squad. I didn’t talk about money – I was thinking about bringing money back in, we have brought £26million back this year.

“I don’t think the situation is serious but we do need to get it sorted soon.”

With heightened tension in the corridors of power at Anfield, Benitez made a pointed remark about the club’s fans by saying: “I am focusing on training and winning games for my supporters.”

Certainly, the prospect of Benitez being dismissed from his position has been met with an outcry from the majority of Liverpool supporters over the weekend.

Having lifted the European Cup in 2005, the FA Cup 12 months later and reached another Champions League final in May, the Spaniard has become a massively popular figure with the club’s followers.

Benitez’s name was chanted during the 3-0 victory at Newcastle United on Saturday, and a huge protest in support of the manager is being planned by fans at Wednesday’s Champions League game against Porto at Anfield.