The Spaniard welcomed new signing Albert Riera to Anfield on Thursday - then admitted the player's former Premier League employers could be a threat to his side.

Riera spent six months on loan with Manchester City in his previous spell in English football and although it was an unmemorable stint for player and club, the prospects of both have flourished this week.

Riera, 26, has signed a four-year deal with the Reds - where the company of Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Jose Reina will surely do his international prospects no harm - while City have agreed a takeover with the mega-rich Abu Dhabi United Group.

And although Benitez believes his new signing from Espanyol may finally solve his longstanding problems on the left wing, he accepts that the grand designs of City's new investors could make his quest for title success even more difficult.

For Benitez, the stunning capture of Robinho for a British record transfer fee could have set in motion a chain of events that will blow the title race wide open.

spending big

"You cannot just win the title by spending money but Chelsea won for two years spending big, big money. Afterwards Manchester United won spending lots of money too," he said.

"If we are talking about spending money then maybe Manchester City will win the title this year.

Reflecting on his own newest recruit, Benitez predicted a bright Liverpool future.

"We were talking about wingers and he is a winger with Premier League experience," he said of Riera. "That is a good thing because maybe he can settle down quickly.

"He was here [in England] three years ago but since then he has been capped by the national team and has the experience of playing in a UEFA Cup final."

He added: "He's the kind of player all managers like and the supporters will be very happy. He is good in the air, has a good delivery and a good left foot, he is also strong and he can be really good for us."

Riera said Anfield was the only place for him. "I am very happy to be here, it was my first choice," he confirmed. "I only wanted to come here for a lot of reasons - the history of the club, the Champions League, the team-mates, the supporters. A lot of things make this the perfect club for me now."