Liverpool In Contract Stand Off With Defender Martin Kelly

Talks stall with Anfield full-back over new deal.

Liverpool are hit a stumbling block in discussions with young England international full-back Martin Kelly over his £45,000 a-week demands.

The Anfield club have begun talks with the 22-year-old defender as they look to get him to commit his future to Liverpool, but have been shocked by his wage demands, according to the Mail on Sunday newspaper.

Liverpool are keen to offer Kelly a similar deal to the one signed by team-mate Raheem Sterling earlier this month – a basic £25,000 a-week with an additional £35,000 paid for each first-team appearance.

Kelly has been at Liverpool since the age of seven and emerged through the academy to make his first-team debut in 2009 when starting a Champions League group game against Lyon before making his Premier League bow later that season.

The tall full-back, who is equally at home at centre-back, has been beset by injury problems including being sidelined since September after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

He made his full England debut as a late substitute in a friendly against Norway in May last year and was part of the Euro 2012 squad after being called up following an injury to Chelsea defender Gary Cahill before the tournament.