Pool line upnew deals for Hyypia & Crouch
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Liverpool are lining up a new one-year contract for veteran defender Sami Hyypia.
And they have also opened talks with striker Peter Crouch over a new deal.
Hyypia, 35 in October, sees his current deal run out in the summer, and there has been interest from Fulham and Newcastle.
But the Finland international has stated he wants to complete ten years at the club next term, and sources at Anfield have confirmed that he will be granted his wish.
Hyypia was not expected to figure regularly this season with the emergence of Daniel Agger as a defensive partner for Jamie Carragher.
But the Danish youngster has been out for five months with a metatarsal injury and only made his comeback in the reserves this week.
That has meant Hyypia has made 33 appearances this term.
Boss Rafael Benitez has also bought £6million Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel, but wants four centre-backs to choose from and Hyypia will be offered the chance to finish his career at Anfield.
However the move to tie-up Crouch on a new deal may prove more difficult than the club are prepared to admit, although the England striker has said he wants to stay at Anfield.
Benitez said: 'We have been talking about a new contract with Crouch and the player has told me that he wants to stay. His agent was talking to Rick Parry (Liverpool chief executive) and said that the player wanted to talk.'
Crouch's situation is complicated as he in the last 18 months of his current deal.
He will have to accept that he is third-choice at best and that he will be used very much in the way he has been this season, mainly from the bench.
Portsmouth and Manchester City have been trailing him, and he would certainly get more games at another club.
Crouch will this summer be in a position to take advantage of Article 17 of FIFA's regulations on the status and transfer of players.
This rule allows players under the age of 28, who have served three years of a four or five year contract, to effectively hand in their notice and move to another club.
Crouch, 27, will finish the third year of his four-year deal at the end of this season.
Benitez is ready to test just how happy Crouch is at Liverpool and a formal contract offer is expected to be made imminently.