Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has again refused to commit his long-term future to the club - but is hopeful there can be a resolution to his wrangle with the owners.
The Spaniard, who has been Reds boss since 2004, confirmed last week that an agreement had been reached over the length of his contract and the salary.
But he turned down a new deal after co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett rejected his demands for complete control of transfers.
Benitez, who has 18 months left on his current contract, was non-committal about his future at a press conference on Saturday morning.
"I can say that I already have an agreement with one club and it is with Liverpool Football Club for one and a half years," said the Spaniard, whose side take on Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Monday.
"I was in contact with the owners with what was my idea and I explained why. I don't have any problems with the owners."
Asked whether he was hopeful there could be a resolution, he replied: "Hopefully. But the first time they told me they wanted to talk about an extension I told them I wanted to do it in one week.
"To do it for two months was not my idea and I don't want to do this so now I will finish and we will concentrate on football."
Benitez was upset when the Reds missed out on signing Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry in the summer after refusing to match the asking price.
Currently, Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has control over spending and it is his final call on whom the club signs.
But Benitez wants to change that chain of command and if he does not get his way, there is a reported chance he may walk, just as he did at Valencia in 2004 when he fell out with the club's director of sport, Jesus Garcia Pitarch, over the failure to buy the players he had singled out.
The Spaniard has been continually linked with a return to Real Madrid, where he played in the academy and then coached the youth and reserve teams early in his career.
Benitez is keen to remain at Liverpool, where he and his family are settled, but will not be happy until he has a set-up that suits him.
And the threat remains he could see out the remainder of his contract and walk away.
"I can say that I already have an agreement with one club and it is with Liverpool Football Club for one and a half years," he added.
"I will be here against Everton (on Monday) and hopefully for a lot of years."
Hicks expects to meet Benitez at the end of this month to discuss any outstanding issues but when asked on Saturday, the Spaniard declined to say whether contract negotiations were still ongoing.
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