Dudek vows never to play for Benitez again

Jerzy Dudek last night talked of his "frustration" with the Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez after the club placed a £3m transfer price on the goalkeeper.

Dudek, 33, believes that such a high price will rule out a quick exit from Anfield, where his current third-choice status threatens his goalkeeping place in the Poland World Cup team. Dudek said that the high price was "the latest lot of rubbish from Benitez" and he vowed never to play for the club again.

"Even if he [Benitez] wants me to play me in a Liverpool match, I don't want to play for this club any more," Dudek said. "I can't see any point talking further with Benitez. It's a waste of time. I have decided to leave Liverpool at whatever cost and I won't change my mind. Benitez just makes the frustration deeper."

He said that he did not travel to the FA Cup match against Luton Town last Saturday "to make it clear to Benitez I'm not interested in being the club's second-choice keeper".

Dudek's heroics during the final penalty shoot-out helped Liverpool to win the Champions' League title last year, but this season he has dropped down to third-choice in goal at Anfield behind Jose Reina and Scott Carson. Dudek said: "If someone buys me for £3m Liverpool will have pulled off the transfer deal of the year. I'm 33 in March. I have no idea how they came to such an absurd figure."

Benitez was last night linked with a summer move for Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe.