LFC contract deals

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Reds stars set to sign deals

Liverpool will not announce new deals for England stars Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher until after their Champions League final clash with AC Milan in Athens on Wednesday night.

Reds skipper Gerrard and Carragher are believed to be poised to sign new long-year deals with the club.

But Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry told PA Sport this morning: 'Nothing will happen until after the final.'

Gerrard has already spoken out about ending his career at Anfield after being linked with moves to Chelsea in the last two summers.

Source: metro.co.uk

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Parry: Deals can wait

Rick Parry has insisted no announcement on the futures of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher will be made until after Wednesday's UEFA Champions League final with Milan.

The Reds are focusing their efforts on securing a second Champions League title in three seasons in Athens on Wednesday, but media reports suggested they had also been putting finishing touches to deals with their two leading lights.

Gerrard and Carragher have made it clear they intend to extend their commitments with the Anfield giants and it had been claimed deals had been agreed.

Parry refused to deny deals had been agreed, but stressed all off-field matters have been shelved until after Wednesday's clash with Milan.

"Nothing will happen until after the final," stated Parry.

All the action from Athens can be followed live on Sky Sports 1, while skysports.com will keep you up to date with all the build-up to Wednesday's game.

Source: Skysports

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Xabi desires Reds stay

Xabi Alonso has confirmed his intention to remain with Liverpool.

The midfield schemer has proved his class in his three seasons at Anfield, with his assured displays in the engine room winning him many fans.

A number of teams in Spain have been monitoring Alonso's situation and the likes of Barcelona were placed on alert when reports suggested The Reds were ready to offload the 25-year-old.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez dismissed suggestions he was looking to sell Alonso and the former Real Sociedad man has confirmed his intention to remain on Merseyside.

"It's great to be a part of Liverpool," Alonso told the Daily Mirror. "I like it here.

"The fans have been amazing throughout the campaign. They did their bit.

"Sadly we couldn't give them the win they deserved," he added of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League final defeat to Milan.

Source: Skysports

If he want to stay, he will stay.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Benitez frustrated with Liverpool contract talks for stars

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has admitted some frustration over the lack of progress over new contract talks with his senior players.

Benitez sighed with frustration when he pondered the protracted negotiations for contract extensions with Gerrard, Carragher, Jose Reina and Xabi Alonso.

"Have Carra and Steve signed contracts?," he said. "I am asking you. Xabi or Reina?

"I was with Xabi and others after the game. We talked about the opposition, the tactics we had. It's normal. It's usually players like Xabi, Reina, Gerrard, Carra. They want to know you have good players ready to sign.

"We were talking about the fact that to renew the contracts of key players would send a message to other players, that we want to build a strong team. It's the same when you're signing players. If you bring strong, top-class players to the club, other players say: 'This team are going forward and growing'. But if we waste time, we can't sign the players we want."

Source: tribalfootball.com

[Mighty T.A.L.]

New deal for Riise

John Arne Riise will sit down with Liverpool before the start of next season to discuss a new contract at Anfield.

The Norway defender has two years left on his current deal on Merseyside but is keen to thrash out his future after learning from Rafael Benitez that he remains part of the manager's plans.

"I know the manager would have called at once it if was true that he wanted to offload me," Riise told the club's official website.

"I have had full confidence at Liverpool for six years, and see no reason to stop playing for the club.

"The plan is that we shall talk about a contract extension before the start of next season."

Source: clubcall.com

ffs!He don't deserve it!

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher have signed deals which extend their stay at Anfield until at least 2011.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

What's most exciting now is if Alonso will sign a new contract.I want to see Liverpool clear out his future and end all transfer talk.

[red pisces]

Liverpool have added Xabi Alonso to their growing list of players to sign new contracts this week.

On Monday it was Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher penning new four-year deals, and on Thursday goalkeeper Jose Reina signed a five-year contract.

Now his fellow Spanish international Alonso has made it four players committing their futures with a five-year deal of his own, and Mohamed Sissoko and Steve Finnan are expected to follow over the weekend.

That will make it six in six days and complete a busy round of negotiations that will keep key members of the squad that reached the Champions League Final last season in Athens at the club long-term.

"I knew there was interest from other clubs but it was always my idea to stay here," said Alonso.

"I have been here for three seasons now and have such special feelings for the club and the supporters. I understand what Liverpool FC means to so many people. It is such a special club and I just didn't want to leave.

"We agreed that the talks would take place after the Champions League final and, to be honest, in the end it was a simple decision for me because I could see right away that the attitude of the club towards me was spot on.

"I greatly appreciate all the hard work that Rick Parry has put in on this contract and the faith that Rafa Benitez has shown in me. We all wanted to reach an agreement and we're all happy with the outcome.

"I want to be part of what lies ahead because I know it is going to be exciting. I've signed for another five years and there's no reason why we can't be successful.

"It's also good news to see that other players have signed new contracts this week. Stevie, Carra and Pepe are all big players for us and it's great they have all shown their commitment. I'm sure the manager will be bringing in new players as well and that the new owners will be making a big effort to improve the squad."

The deal with Alonso, back home in San Sebastian and tying up the final details by fax, has been Benitez's most worrying.

For several months the midfielder has been linked with a move to Barcelona, and the new contract seemed a thorny issue with the 25 year-old, a £10.5m signing from Real Sociedad in August 2004, one of Benitez's first captures.

He had been even linked as part of a swap-deal that would bring Samuel Eto'o from the Nou Camp to Anfield.

But Benitez has been determined to keep one of the players that he has built his Anfield squad around, and this contract signing will please the manager immensely.

As will the likely capture of Sissoko on a new deal. The tall midfielder suffered a bad eye injury 12 months ago and then a crisis of confidence last term when Javier Mascherano grabbed his holding midfield role.

That situation, with Sissoko missing the Athens final, attracted the attention of several European sides, particularly Juventus.

But Benitez does not want to lose the Mali international and a new deal is close to being completed. Likewise Finnan has proved his worth over the years and is also close to signing a new deal.

Football365.com - ALONSO SIGNS NEW LIVERPOOL DEAL - All The News - Football365 News

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Now when the most important players in the squad have signed a new deal then Liverpool can set their sights on new players.I guess Rafa will go to the Spanish market and sign players from La Liga.Hopefully he will do some good signings...I cross my fingers...

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Sissoko pens new Liverpool deal

Mohamed Sissoko has become the latest player to pledge his future to Liverpool after signing a new four-year contract.

The Mali midfielder, 22, had been linked with a summer move away from Anfield but has joined captain Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Xabi Alonso and Jose Reina in penning a long-term deal.

Sissoko said: "It was never in my thoughts to leave Liverpool. I read about the speculation linking me with other clubs but I am already at a big big club and it's an honour for me to be able to call myself a Liverpool player."

Sissoko, who joined Liverpool from Valencia in the summer of 2005, has been arguably the club's most improved player under manager Rafael Benitez.

He has suffered more than one serious injury while at Anfield, and lost his place as midfield anchorman following the arrival of Javier Mascherano during the second half of last season.

But Sissoko has vowed to battle for his place, saying: "I feel fresh and can't wait for the new season to start.

"I am injury-free and although I know I'll face a battle for a place in the team as we have so many great midfielders I'm prepared to fight for a position.

"It obviously gave me a huge boost to my confidence that the manager believes in me and wanted me to stay at the club. Now I want to repay him on the pitch."

Source: The Times

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Steve Finnan is on the verge of signing a new contract extension at Liverpool.The Liverpool Echo says the 31-year-old Republic of Ireland international has been offered a two-year deal with the option of an extra 12 months.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Finnan extends Liverpool contract

Liverpool's Republic of Ireland defender Steve Finnan has been handed a new three-year contract and is expected to sign the deal on return from the Reds' tour of Asia.

Finnan, 31, was signed from Fulham by former boss Gerard Houllier four years ago but has remained a first choice under the Frenchman's successor Rafael Benitez.

He has gone on to play 182 games for the Anfield club and was part of the teams that won the Champions League in 2005 and FA Cup a year later.

Source: Soccerway

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Steven Finnan has put pen-to-paper on a two-year contract extension. The Irish international full-back is now contracted to the club until June 2009.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Crouch stalls on Liverpool contract talks

Peter Crouch is stalling on new contract talks at Liverpool.

The Mail on Sunday says Crouch, who will be available for England against Russia on Wednesday after being suspended for last night's qualifier with Israel, has been offered a new three-year deal by Rafa Benitez.

But he will wait until January before committing himself after being frustrated at his lack of first-team opportunities this season. The 6ft 7in striker has been relegated to fourth-choice striker and been left out of the first-team squad in three of their four Premier League matches.