KOP News # 1204

Kenny Dalglish is in discussions with Liverpool's owners over future

• Manager travelled to Boston to meet John W Henry
• Dalglish wants any uncertainties resolved soon

Kenny Dalglish, the Liverpool manager, has delivered his end-of-season review to John W Henry in Boston. Photograph: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Kenny Dalglish has delivered his end-of-season review to Liverpool's owners during direct talks with John W Henry and Tom Werner in the United States that will determine his fate as manager.

Dalglish had been scheduled to give his assessment on a contrasting season of Premier League disappointment and cup success following the final game of the season at Swansea City. However, mindful of the uncertainty that has surrounded his position since losing to Chelsea in the FA Cup final on 5 May, he travelled to Boston after defeat at the Liberty Stadium seeking clarification that Fenway Sports Group want him in charge for next season.

The Liverpool manager is due to go on holiday on Wednesday and wants the uncertainty resolved as he attempts to proceed with rebuilding plans in the continued absence of a director of football at Anfield. Dalglish was not summoned to Boston by FSG, who are naturally concerned at Liverpool's failure to have any impact on Champions League qualification despite their £120m investment on new players. The club won the Carling Cup this season and reached the final of the FA Cup but, on the flip side, recorded their lowest points tally in the Premier League era and lowest league placing since 1993-94.

Werner claimed that Dalglish's position was safe in the wake of Damien Comolli's departure in April, the former director of football paying the price for Liverpool's largesse in the transfer market. The Liverpool chairman, the principal owner Henry and the managing director, Ian Ayre, would not confirm that this remained their position after the FA Cup final, however, and Dalglish admitted on Friday that he had received no further assurances from the club's owners. He is expected to receive a definite answer this week.

FSG have also sacked Liverpool's head of sports science, Dr Peter Brukner, and head of communications, Ian Cotton, as they conduct a root-and-branch review that has extended to changing the publisher of the club's official magazines. They requested an end-of-season assessment from Dalglish and his coaching staff of Steve Clarke and Kevin Keen several months ago and the Liverpool manager reiterated his belief that the squad does not require a major overhaul to mount a top-four challenge next season.

Xavi Valero, Liverpool's former goalkeeping coach under Rafael Benítez, is considering an offer to rejoin the club and Dirk Kuyt has revealed he rejected a return to Feyenoord as, "if I returned to Holland, I would have to take an 80% cut in my Liverpool wages". Kuyt, who has fallen out of favour under Dalglish, added: "If you are 35 or 36, you know your career is almost done. But I'm only 31 and in the prime of my life. I still have two or three years left at the top. I still have the ambition and fitness to play at the highest level, a club in a major competition or a big club with European ambitions."

Kuyt's future at Liverpool remains in doubt, as does that of Maxi Rodríguez, but the Liverpool manager claims only a few additions are required and believes the club can resist approaches from rivals in the Champions League.

Dalglish said: "The only one we are losing is Fabio [Aurelio] because his contract is up. We are not interested in losing anyone else. I don't know what the Champions League clubs are going to do but we are looking to bring people in. I would say that's the natural course of events – there are very few seasons that any club hasn't moved someone in. Our intention is to add to what we have got.

"We don't want anyone to go. We are going to have a lot of games next year – the Europa League, Carling Cup and Premier League all before Christmas. The better we do in the first two competitions, by the turn of the year we could have four competitions."