Martinez in Miami for talks with FSG.

Byline: JAMES PEARCE 

LIVERPOOL'S owners have held talks with Roberto Martinez about the vacant manager's job but insist no appointment is imminent.

The Wigan boss interrupted his holiday in Barbados to fly to Miami to meet principal owner John W Henry and chairman Tom Werner yesterday.

Martinez is on a shortlist of candidates to succeed Kenny Dalglish but Fenway Sports Group have stressed that the recruitment process remains at an early stage.

Henry and Werner are set to conduct further interviews and are determined to take their time to ensure they get the right man for the job.

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan revealed that Martinez had flown to America for talks a week after he had granted Liverpool permission to speak to him.

Whelan will demand around pounds 3million in compensation if the 38-year-old Spaniard is offered the role but his hopes of Martinez's future being resolved within 48 hours are likely to be dashed.

"I got a phone call and Roberto was on his way to America, he's flown to Miami and is meeting Liverpool's owners," he said. "He is just doing what I gave him permission to do and he has to listen to what they are offering. "I've asked Roberto if he will make his mind up as quickly as possible. I'd expect to hear back from him in the next 48 hours or so. "If it's yes to Liverpool, I will accept it and get on with life. But if it's no I'll be delighted. "We would love to keep him but if we have to lose him I will move very quickly to appoint a successor." Whelan has questioned whether Martinez might be put off by the new structure FSG plan to unveil at Anfield with a manager operating alongside a sporting or technical director. "I don't think the American owners fully understand the game of football in England so we have to wait and see what they offer Roberto and what kind of control he would have," he added.

"Roberto likes total control of the football from youngsters of 16 up to the first team. He has to have control of everything that goes on. If he doesn't get that I don't think he would take the job." Whelan also claimed that Martinez wouldn't have the final say on signings if he took over at Liverpool. "My information is that the new Liverpool manager will not be given full responsibility of the football department," he said. "There will be somebody else signing players, and they might not necessarily be the choice of the manager." However, the Echo understands that is not the case. There is a desire for Dalglish's successor to be devoted to coaching but players won't be signed without his agreement. Talking about the new structure being put in place, managing director Ian Ayre said: "I wouldn't go as far as to say the manager's job will only be a training ground role but absolutely the idea is to create a structure so that the manager doesn't need to focus on too much else "You want the manager to be focused on getting the best out of his team. But what it absolutely isn't about is bringing players in without the manager's input. "In the past a manager would be going to look at 20 or 30 different games just to find one player. Whereas with the right structure someone lines all of that up and the manager is just going to the final interview."

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SHORTLIST: Roberto Martinez