Liverpool players Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard will not be sold this summer, claims the Reds new chairman Martin Broughton. Broughton, the British Airways chairman, has been brought in to oversee the sale of Liverpool after American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett decided to bring an end to their controversial spell at Anfield.
The burden of Liverpool's £237million debt has led to fears that Torres and Gerrard will be sold in the summer, but Broughton insists that is not the case.
He said: "I can't see any reason for any forced sales. I think everybody concerned, fans, players and the manager, can all look forward to a very bright future.
"There will be money available for transfers, but I am not going into how much."
Broughton said any new owner would have to prove they had the funds to take the club forward and would be "crazy" not to include building the new stadium in their plans.
"What's best for the club is somebody or bodies to come in and build the new stadium, make sure that the club is properly financed and that there is enough money available to take the club forward," he said.
"I have looked at the stadium project and frankly there is an overwhelming financial logic to any buyer to proceed with the stadium. Any buyer would be crazy not to do so.
"We wouldn't get to be the winning bid with that commitment." Broughton would not be drawn on how much the club will cost. Hicks and Gillett spent around £220million on buying Liverpool in 2007 and have set an asking price of £500million, though it now looks as though they will have to lower that.
The new chairman said merely that the Americans were seeking a "reasonable price".
Broughton admitted the uncertainty over the ownership had been "hanging over the club".
He added: "This will make a difference, this will clarify the ownership position.
"What's been hanging over the club is the ownership, the debts etc; so this will be a very good thing for Liverpool."
Broughton also made it clear that he wanted manager Rafael Benitez to stay - the Spaniard has been linked with Juventus in recent weeks.
"Rafa is a good manager, we want him to stay and he's under contract to stay," he said.
