Rafa Benitez is again delaying signing his new contract at Liverpool.

Benitez stunned American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett by stalling on a new four-year deal which had been specially reworded to ensure he had full control over transfers and the youth academy, says the Mail on Sunday.

Negotiations will not restart until after Wednesday's Champions League clash against Benitez's former club Real Madrid at the earliest.

The manager's stance will cast a new question mark over whether he will be at the club next season as he is clearly reluctant to commit his future while chief executive Rick Parry and Gillett remain in power.

A source said: "Rafa cannot carry on working unless the way the club is run changes.

"It has been extremely difficult for the past two years, he does not want four more years of the same. He feels he gets the blame for everything that goes wrong at Liverpool. It is him in the window while everyone else can hide."