Rafael Benitez, usually so good at hiding his emotions, couldn’t hold back his frustration any longer. Just minutes after Liverpool had lost the Champions League final he was complaining about the uncertainty regarding the transfer funds available and the length of time taken by Liverpool in order to pull through a transfer.

It was a reaction borne of two years trying to compete at the highest level without having sufficient funds available. It’s not as if Benitez has been forced to scrounge around for bargains but too often he’s had to settle for second or third choice.

Not this summer though, or at least that’s what he’s demanding. He’s been promised all the financial backing that he needs and intends to use it.

First of all, he’ll have to sort out who will be the backup to Pepe Reina. The Spanish keeper has been offered an extension to his contract which basically confirms him as the long time first choice for the club.

This will probably force out Scott Carson who is unlikely to be willing to spend time on the bench and who, if a big enough offer comes in, will be on his way. Jerzy Dudek has already left on a free whilst Danieli Padelli’s nightmare debut against Charlton will mean a quick return back to Italy. Fourth choice David Martin had an excellent spell on loan at Accrington Stanley but it is probably too young for such responsibility.

In defence, Benitez is determined to have a quality central defender capable of taking some of the load off Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger, regardless of whether Sami Hyppia stays or not. That player he has in mind seems to be the Argentine Gabriel Milito whilst another Argentine by the same forename, Gabriel Palleta, should probably leave Liverpool after a series of horrendous displays.

Left back is another area that Benitez might be looking to improve: it is telling that in the latter half of the season he relied on right back Alvaro Arbeloa to do the job there. John Arne Riise hasn’t had the best of years whereas Fabio Aurelio, so impressive midway through the season, seems too injury prone to be relied on as the automatic choice.

Going by the rumours, left of midfield has been identified as a priority position. Already Mark Gonzalez and Boudewijn Zenden are confirmed departures with Harry Kewell also on his way out should a decent enough offer come in. Young Argentine Sebastian Leto joined last year from Lanus but will be making the trip to Liverpool this summer. There is also Adam Hammill, back from a successful loan period at Dunfermline who he helped to the Scottish FA Cup final.

The player that Benitez has earmarked for this role, however, is Florent Malouda from Lyon. He was apparently one of the two players that the manager had wanted ‘signed within a week’ although at this stage it doesn’t look as if that will happen. Should that deal fall through, another possibility is Valencia’s David Silva.

On the other side of midfield interest in Daniel Alves has apparently receeded although not the same seems to apply to Simao Sabrosa. This despite the good form shown by Jermaine Pennant towards the latter half of the season as well as in the Champions League final.

In the middle of the park, Javier Mascherano’s form and the imminent arrival of Lucas means that Momo Sissoko is no longer guaranteed a place in the team. So much that he could be allowed to leave especially if Juventus really do come up with a £10 million offer.

That money would go to finance Liverpool’s biggest need: an efficient goal scorer. So far, Robbie Fowler has gone whilst Craig Bellamy won’t be a Liverpool player for longer. That leaves Peter Crouch and Dirk Kuyt, with the impression being that the former could be sacrificed should a big enough offer come in.

That would leave Benitez looking for two more strikers as Andrei Voronin (pictured), the unheralded Ukranian striker, will be joining on a free from Bayer Leverkusen. The list of linked players is too long and full of improbables to be warrant anything more than mention here.

Someone like Samuel Eto’o would suit Liverpool fine although he won’t come cheap. Time, therefore, for Hicks and Gillett to show how ready they are to back Benitez. Unless the feel the need to test how much it will take for his frustration to boil over indefinitely.