Benitez said the legal team had been mobilised after United rejected a reported six-million-pound bid for the 29-year-old Argentine.

"Now the lawyers are working on it so we need to wait," Benitez said ahead of the Asia Trophy tournament here.

"He's a player we like, he's a very good player. Too bad they don't want him to leave and go with us."

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson last week ruled out the possibility of letting Heinze join their Premier League rivals. Heinze has also been linked with Real Madrid and Inter Milan.

"I can assure you Liverpool will not be getting Gabriel Heinze," said Ferguson. "We have had a couple of offers for him and we have turned them down."

The deadline for Heinze to invoke a buy-out clause has now expired. Had the Argentine stated his intent to pay up the remainder of his two-year contract, Ferguson could not have stopped him moving to Liverpool.

Liverpool, Fulham and Portsmouth are all taking part in the Asian Trophy pre-season tournament here which starts on Tuesday.