Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is ready to intensify his interest in Valencia's David Silva, his negotiating position enhanced by the Spanish club's diminishing prospects of selling their other prime asset, David Villa.

Valencia, a club in severe financial crisis, may be forced to reduce their initial £25m demand for Silva, which put Benitez off in May and the manager will be able to offer the entire amount up front if Real Madrid adhere to his own demands that Real Madrid's £30m-plus outlay on Xabi Alonso comes in one up-front payment, as did their £80m to Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Valencia's initial negotiating position, which exasperated Benitez, arose because Villa seemed destined to leave the Mestalla and there was a desire to keep Silva.

But Barcelona's move for Internazionale's Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic — with Samuel Eto'o and £40m going in the other direction — means that Villa may well not be leaving Spain and, with banks currently propping them up, Valencia must now sell.

The 23-year-old Silva can play wide, as a withdrawn striker or as an attacking midfielder and is not a straight replacement for Alonso. Valencia have been on the brink of bankruptcy all summer and will accept nothing less than a straight cash deal for him.

Where Alonso is concerned, Benitez is also holding out for a Madrid player to be included in the deal with striker Alvaro Negredo still a possibility. If Real agree to include Negredo — and Benitez still badly needs striking back-up — then defender Alvaro Arbeloa would be likely to join Alonso in moving to the Bernabeu. Silva is reluctant to switch to England but will make an exception for Liverpool.

Alonso currently seems more likely than Javier Mascherano to leave, as the midfield uncertainties that have plagued Benitez all summer continue to drag on.