Amid the uncertainty at Liverpool, Rafael Benítez has been sounded out by at least three clubs in Spain, who have expressed interest in tempting him back to La Liga at the end of the season. Barcelona are among the clubs who are monitoring the Spaniard’s situation, but it emerged last night that the Liverpool manager has also been made aware of potential interest from Valencia, his former club, and Atlético Madrid.

Benítez’s priority is to stay on Merseyside, where his family is settled, but his employment prospects at Anfield remain unclear. Although his position is more secure than it was earlier in the season, when Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the club’s American owners, were preparing to sack him after a series of disagreements, little is clear at present, with Dubai International Capital, the private equity investment arm of the Dubai Government, planning a wide-ranging review of all aspects of the club if, as expected, it succeeds with its £400 million takeover bid.

Having improved his relationship with Hicks while guiding Liverpool to the Champions League quarter-finals, where they face Arsenal, Benítez is hoping to stay on regardless of who owns the club next season, but other options exist. Manuel García Quillon, his agent, has been approached by people from or working on behalf of Valencia, Atlético and Barcelona. With doubts over the future of Frank Rijkaard, the Barcelona hierarchy are discussing potential replacements, including Benítez, José Mourinho, the former Chelsea manager, and Michael Laudrup, the Getafe coach.

If he stays at Anfield, Benítez will ask for considerable backing in the transfer market this summer as he looks to assemble a squad capable of challenging for the Barclays Premier League title. He and his staff are making inquiries about several players and are monitoring the form of others, including David Bentley, of Blackburn Rovers.

Benítez has impressed upon his board the need to make changes to the squad and is likely to offload several players. Harry Kewell will leave when his contract expires in June, but there will be other departures, with uncertainty over the futures of Xabi Alonso, John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch.

As expected, Javier Mascherano, the Liverpool midfield player, has been charged with improper conduct by the FA over his reaction to his red card in the 3-0 defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.Mascherano has been given until 6pm today to respond, with the case to be heard by an FA regulatory commission a week tomorrow. He is suspended for the Merseyside derby against Everton on Sunday and is likely to face a further ban for continuing to argue with Steve Bennett, the referee, after he was shown the red card.

Benítez may get his opportunity to discuss the Mascherano affair with Keith Hackett, the general manager of Professional Game Match Officials Ltd, the referees’ governing body. However, it will not be until the case has been decided by the FA and will take place in private.

Mike Riley, the Premier League referee, will take charge of the matches between Charlton Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Coca-Cola Championship on Saturday and Carlisle United and Nottingham Forest in Coca-Cola League One on Tuesday. It is not viewed as punishment for his failure to send off Ashley Cole in the 4-4 draw between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea last week, more one of the “rest” periods in the lower leagues given to elite officials during the season.

- George Gillett Jr, the Liverpool co-owner, has teamed up with the owner of the Montreal Impact, who play in North America’s second division, to bid for a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise, Joey Saputo, the club’s president, said yesterday. “We are in discussions with Gillett Entertainment Group as well as with Major League Soccer to bring an MLS franchise to Montreal,” Saputo said. Reports suggest that they hope to call the team Montreal FC and begin playing in the 2009 season.