Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez admits he could sell Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

He has confessed for the first time that Torres, Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Pepe Reina may have to be sacrificed if the Reds fail to claim the top-four place that will secure the club financially.

Benitez told the Sunday Mirror: "If a club came in and offered a lot of money for a player then it would be about doing what is best for Liverpool.

"I don't want to sell our big players. We have worked on contract extensions because we want to keep them and keep our squad strong.

"There would have to be conversations about what is best for the club in that situation and to decide what to do.

"Clubs haven't really enquired so I don't know.

"All I can say is that I want to keep our best players because they will take us closer to the top four.

"It is clear that we should look to keep the players that are important to us."