Reds hoping to seal a new deal for centre back Martin Skrtel.
Liverpool are set to open contract talks with long serving central defender Martin Skrtel, report the Express, with the Slovakian international now having just 18 months left on his current deal at Anfield and having been an important member of Brendan Rodgers’ first team squad at the club during the course of the season so far.
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Commanding at the back and one of the players who is likely to be expected to take on increased responsibility when captain Steven Gerrard leaves the club at the end of the season, Skrtel has been a mainstay at the back for Liverpool since he was signed from Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg by former Reds manager Rafael Benitez seven years ago.
Despite Rodgers having toyed with playing three and four at the back during spells this season and rarely having settled on a first choice group of personnel in defence, Skrtel certainly seems to be his first choice man at the heart of the back line and his physical presence is crucial to the side.
Indeed, as Liverpool have put together their best run of the season in recent weeks, Skrtel has been impressive at the back and shown signs of putting together a decent understanding with Mamadou Sakho and Emre Can in a three man defence.
Read an alternative take on Skrtel’s new Liverpool contract, here