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Kuyt and Benayoun staying: Benitez

07/08/2008

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is confident Yossi Benayoun and Dirk Kuyt will stay at the club.

Benitez admitted last week that he will have to sell players in order to buy new ones, with the club looking to complete the signing of Gareth Barry for somewhere in the region of £18 million.

But the Spaniard said Benayoun and Kuyt would be staying put, despite the pair being linked with Roma and Hamburg respectively.

"Neither of them will be leaving," said Benitez. "It is true that Roma are interested in Yossi. I have talked to him and told him I want to keep him.

"He is a player with quality and has shown that during pre-season. I have no more news about Yossi - he will be staying with us.

"I also talked with Dirk Kuyt this morning. I am really pleased with him and he will be staying with us."

Liverpool only signed Benayoun last summer from West Ham for £5 million, but the Israeli international failed to hold down a regular first team place last season.

Kuyt, meanwhile, signed from Feyenoord for £10 million in 2006 and though he hasn't been a consistent goalscorer, he has won over the Liverpool fans with his hard work on the pitch.

But the Dutchman could now find it difficult to get into the Liverpool starting line-up with the recent arrival of Robbie Keane from Tottenham.