Despite overseeing an impressive start to the Premier League campaign - the side lie second to Chelsea on goal difference - and progressing to the lucrative group phase of the Champions League for the fifth time in five seasons as Liverpool manager, Benítez has received no word on a contract extension.
The issue did not arise when the Liverpool manager met George Gillett, Hicks' co-owner, before and after the league victory over Manchester United at Anfield last month and there are no plans in place to open negotiations.
Benítez's deal expires at the end of next season and while that offers ample time to negotiate a new contract for the 48-year-old, who wishes to extend his Anfield reign, the delay is a further illustration of the impasse which exists among the Liverpool hierarchy and the uncertainty that it brings to long-term planning at the club. Although Hicks wants to offer the manager at least a 12-month extension, he cannot do so without the agreement of Gillett or acquiring majority control of Liverpool. The Texan has neither at present.
"I would prefer to have a long-term contract and then you can have a long-term plan," said Benítez, who was last night encouraged by news that the defender Martin Skrtel should be back by Christmas from the knee injury he sustained on Sunday at Manchester City. "All managers need time but it is more difficult to get that now.
"All managers are in the same situation. The problem in England now is that everyone wants to be successful too soon. That is the part of the game I don't like. But I'm really pleased to be here and I have two more years left on my contract, so right now I'm just trying to do my job as best I can. I've always said I want to stay here for many years."
It was in January that Hicks revealed plans to extend Benítez's contract, having sparked outrage among Liverpool supporters by approaching Jürgen Klinsmann about the Spaniard's job, with Gillett, two months earlier. He followed that up in April by stating: "If I were to buy George out the first thing I would do is offer Rafa a one-year extension to make sure he is going to be here up to when we get the stadium. Hopefully we could have some success and then extend him again."
Both Liverpool's new stadium and Hicks' hopes of purchasing just 1% of Gillett's stake have since stalled indefinitely, with the global economic crisis cited for the construction delay and Gillett preferring to sell up to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The ruler of Dubai has not conceded defeat in his exhaustive attempt to purchase Liverpool but the Americans' valuation of the club remains far in excess of what he is prepared to pay.
With Liverpool enjoying the best start to a season under his management, however, Benítez is determined to keep off-field distractions to a minimum: "I'm not really worried about the situation at the moment. I am trying to be pragmatic about it and am just concentrating on the things I can improve. It doesn't make it more difficult for me to plan for the future. I can only control things on the pitch, improve the squad, and if I can do that then things will be easier in the future."