After recent contract talks came to a standstill, Martin Skrtel has been linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer. The team from Merseyside are now said to be preparing themselves for a battle to keep the experienced centre back at the club.
The 27 year old has two years left on his contract at Anfield, however negotiations over an extension are said to have wielded limited success. Skrtel is reportedly frustrated by Liverpool’s poor performance in the previous Premier League campaign and is weighing up other options away from the club.
A number of other teams are rumoured to be interested in the defender, namely, Manchester City, Napoli and Zenit St Petersburg. Skrtel would be a good addition any top division side, although I can only see him offering defensive cover at City.
Since moving to Anfield from Zenit in January 2008, Skrtel has accumulated 128 appearances for Liverpool, contributing 5 goals. He is clearly an important first team player and Brendan Rodgers knows this.
The newly appointed Liverpool manager is keen to keep Skrtel in his squad heading into the new season.
Skrtel featured in the opening game of Rodgers’ reign in Canada on Saturday, a low-key 1-1 draw with Toronto, after the game he said he would fight to keep the centre-back at the club.
He has fit into my plans and ideas. I will fight as hard as I can to keep the players that I want here and Martin is one of them,” he confessed.
So far, no official move has been made for the player. However, if a contract solution is not reached in the next month Liverpool may well face a decision over whether to sell the defender before his value drops.
I’m interested to hear any Liverpool fan’s opinions regarding this speculation.
Is Skrtel a vital player for the club? Is he worth the effort involved in keeping him at Anfield? Or should Rodgers cash in on the player and re-invest in a new defence?
Please feel free to comment with your thoughts and views.