Rafa Benitez's Liverpool future looks increasingly uncertain after the club's co-owner Tom Hicks revealed they held talks with Jurgen Klinsmann about the manager's job.

Tom Hicks and his fellow Anfield owner George Gillett fell out with Benitez after a dispute over Liverpool's transfer policy.

Benitez publicly criticised Hicks and Gillett for refusing to fund his bids for several players, leading to reports that the Spaniard would be sacked or walk out before the end of the season.

Liverpool's American owners were furious with Benitez's outburst and, with the club in danger of being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League, they approached Klinsmann in November to cover themselves in case Benitez left.

They met Klinsmann at Hicks' second home in southern California in late November during America's Thanksgiving vacation and told the former Germany coach that he was their first choice to succeed Benitez.

Benitez eventually steered Liverpool through to the Champions League last 16 and then smoothed his relationship with Hicks and Gillett after a clear-the-air meeting in December.

Klinsmann opted to accept an offer to coach Bayern Munich last week, but Jose Mourinho has been linked with the Anfield job again and Benitez can hardly be comforted by Hicks's revelations.

"In November, when it appeared we were in danger of not advancing in the Champions League, weren't playing well in our Premier League matches, and Rafa and we were having communication issues over the January transfer window, George and I met with Jurgen Klinsmann to learn as much as we could about English and European football," Hicks told the Liverpool Echo.

"He is a very impressive man. We attempted to negotiate an option, as an insurance policy, to have him become our manager in the event Rafa decided to leave our club for Real Madrid or other clubs that were rumoured in the UK press, or in case our communication spiralled out of control for some reason.

"After George and I had our long and productive meeting with Rafa following the Man United match, we put all of our issues behind us and received Rafa's commitment that he wanted to stay with Liverpool.

"We never reached agreement on an option with Jurgen, and we are both pleased for him that he has a great opportunity to return to Germany and coach a great club team.

"Rafa has both of our support, and our communication has greatly improved."