Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers says offering full-back Glen Johnson a new contract in the summer is amongst the club’s priorities.
Speculation had mounted surrounding Johnson’s future after the England international admitted his eagerness to get a new deal sorted earlier this month.
Johnson’s current deal expires in summer 2015.
Over the weekend, the 29-year-old former Chelsea and Portsmouth defender was linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Rodgers had told press at his pre-Sunderland press conference earlier on Monday that there would be no talk of new contracts for players or staff until the season was over.
But, speaking to the Liverpool Echo on Monday night, Rodgers revealed that he has every intuition of sorting out Johnson’s future, although the actual negotiations won’t take place until the summer.
“We want to keep Glen here,” Rodgers said.
“There is no question about that, especially now he’s in this form. He’s 29 and we feel that he has still got good years ahead of him.
“No contracts will be looked at until the summer but his will be a priority for us, especially if he continues in the form that he’s in.”
Rodgers added that he does not believe Johnson’s high wages, estimated to be around £110,000, would be a stumbling block in the club offering him a new deal.
“It just means you just have to sit, debate and discuss what’s best for the club and the player,” Rodgers added.
“The beauty of this is we want to keep Glen and Glen loves it here. We just need to find a solution which is good for both.
“If we can do that then the club will have a very good player for years to come.
“We have other players like young Jon Flanagan who only has one year left, while Jordan Henderson only has two years left. They have been great and we want to look at those contracts.
“That’s something that will be for the summer. The players can do themselves no harm by continuing to play in the form they are in. The club will then take a close look at it.”
Johnson was signed from Portsmouth by Rafa Benitez in 2009 as a replacement for right-back Alvaro Arbeloa.
To date, Johnson has made 164 appearances for the Reds, scoring eight goals on his way.
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