By IANS
London : Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has admitted his eye-catching summer spending, including the recent additions of Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun, might not be enough to wrest the English Premier League title from Manchester United.
With Holland forward Babel arriving for 11.5 million pounds from Ajax after the signing of midfielder Benayoun from West Ham United, the Spanish manager has underlined his ambition to the Liverpool club website.
“I don’t know, however, if it will be enough for winning the title. Manchester United won the title and are still spending more money than anyone,” said the Spaniard.
“Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham are also spending lots of money but at least we are competing with these teams in the market and that is important.”
Babel and Benayoun followed the club-record 20-million-pound signing Fernando Torres to Anfield within the space of a week and, while Benitez is excited about what the future, he sounded a note of caution.
Benitez knows expectations will be high at Anfield because of the money he has invested in new players – striker Andriy Voronin has also checked in after finishing his contract at Bayer Leverkusen.
But the Spaniard said: “I prefer to have pressure as that brings on competition.
“You always want two players in each position and we are now really close to this situation.”
Babel has signed a five-year deal after drawing notice in the victorious Dutch team during the recent European under-21 championships, while Benayoun brings Premiership experience.
The pair will add creativity to the flanks, an area where Liverpool have been lacking in comparison to their main rivals.
Benitez said: “Ryan and Yossi can both play as wingers. Ryan is a player with quality and pace. He is a very good young player. He is playing well now and will play well in the future.
“Yossi has experience in England and that is really important. He can help the other players here.”
It has been a whirlwind time for Babel and he said: “I am very excited after the coach explained his plans.
“He gave me lot of confidence and that made my decision to come very easy.
Israel midfielder Benayoun believes he is taking a step up in class by moving to Anfield.
“This is the biggest move of my career and a dream move for me,” he said.
“At 27, it is not about money, it is about ambition and the opportunity to win trophies.
Meanwhile, Liverpool submitted plans for their new stadium to the city council and hope to begin work by the end of the year.
The Reds’ proposal sets out a detailed timetable for construction of the 60,000-capacity arena in Stanley Park and the redevelopment of the surrounding area.
The Liverpool Echo reports that a planning application is scheduled for July 25, with permission sought by the end of October to allow work to begin by the year-end.
Construction had originally been planned to begin in May but the takeover by Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett led to a rethink of the proposals.
It is thought that the 280-million-pound stadium will allow for a potential expansion to an 80,000 capacity.