Thursday 22 January 2015 23:47, UK
Manager Brendan Rodgers hopes full-back Glen Johnson commits his future to Liverpool.
The 30-year-old right-back’s future on Merseyside is in doubt, with his current contract set to expire at the end of the season and, as yet, no formal talks being held over a new deal.
Rodgers insists he cannot have yet more experienced players leaving in the summer, having already accepted he will lose veteran skipper Steven Gerrard to LA Galaxy at the end of the campaign.
The Reds boss wants Johnson to stay and assist in developing the club’s young talent along with Brazil midfielder Lucas Leiva.
“The intention will be to keep everyone – we can't have three or four leaving next season,” Rodgers said.
“Steven will obviously be a loss. When you are losing someone of that calibre of man and player it would be a loss to any club.
“For the younger players to develop their potential they are going to need that seniority around them. You can't just have a whole group of young players.
“Glen is not the marauding full-back of six or seven years ago but he is still a quality player and he has a lot to offer with his experience. His game will adapt over the next couple of years and we want to keep him.
“Like every player he will want that security and to get it sorted earlier than it is now, but when he looks at it and realises he is at one of the biggest clubs in the world, with a team which is developing and growing, he would want to be a part of that.
“I know the club and his agents spoke towards the beginning of the season and I am hopeful we can find a solution and he will stay.”
Lucas, 28, has also found his future under scrutiny this month – with several clubs from across Europe linked with pulling him away from Anfield.
But Rodgers has also moved to put those rumours to bed, insisting he wants to keep Lucas, who still has two-and-a-half years left on his current deal.
“We want to keep Lucas. He was out of the team last year because of the nature of the set-up with Steven, in that co-ordinating role," explained Rodgers.
“But he is a prime example of someone who has played his way back into the first team by showing their level and commitment.”
