Liverpool FC Forum

[lakes10]

Gerrard and Carragher set to sign new deals before escape to the sun

Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher should have committed their long-term futures to Liverpool by the time the team fly to Spain next week for a training camp in preparation for the Champions League final. The club’s decision to head abroad, though, is likely to come under scrutiny after the controversy that marred a similar “bonding session” less than three months ago.

Liverpool are expected to go away for five days after their final match of the Barclays Premiership season at home to Charlton Athletic on Sunday as Rafael BenÍtez, the manager, seeks to ensure that his players are properly acclimatised for the final against AC Milan in Athens on Wednesday week, when temperatures in the Greek capital are likely to remain above 25C into the evening.

Given the negative press that the club attracted on their training camp in Portugal in February, when Craig Bellamy, the forward, was fined £80,000 after setting about John Arne Riise, his teammate, with a golf club after a drunken night out, the decision to embark on a similar trip so soon is surprising.

But in defending the move yesterday, BenÍtez attempted to accentuate the positives, pointing out that the training they did on the Algarve played a significant role in their 2-1 Champions League first knock-out round, first leg victory against Barcelona in the Nou Camp five days after the Bellamy fracas.

“When we did this before the Barcelona game it had a positive impact, although I know people talked about other things in the end,” BenÍtez said. “I know people will mention that again, but it’s not an issue. We are thinking only about doing the right things to prepare the players for the final. The most positive thing is we can work together in a climate and in conditions which will be more like those we’ll play in in the final.”

While certain figures at the club are thought to be uneasy about the idea, the fact that BenÍtez will be allowed to take his players away without opposition is another example of the power the Spaniard wields at Anfield.

And the manager’s hand is only likely to be strengthened further when Gerrard and Carragher, who have two years remaining on their existing deals, sign new contracts, possibly within the next 72 hours, assuming that the formalities can be tied up.

Carragher, 29, is expected to agree a four-year contract that will net the England defender about £80,000 a week, while Gerrard, the 26-year-old captain who spoke last week of his relief at having not joined Chelsea, is likely to sign a minimum four-year contract worth about £120,000 a week.

“I hope it may be done this week, but we are talking and we’re sure it will be done soon,” BenÍtez said of the two prospective deals yesterday.

Liverpool supporters are furious that the club have not been allocated more than 17,000 tickets for the Champions League final, despite the Olympic Stadium having a capacity of more than 70,000.

Les Lawson, of the Liverpool Official Supporters’ Club, described the situation, which has led to a black market for tickets on the internet, as “a joke” and Peter Kilfoyle, MP for Walton, has written to Richard Caborn, the Sports Minister, demanding action.

Uefa, European football’s governing body, is standing by the decision, however, even though the cost of two tickets had reached as much as €4,000 (about £2,715) on eBay, the internet auction site, last night.

About 40,000 supporters watched Liverpool beat Milan in the Champions League final in the Atatürk Stadium in Istanbul two years ago. “In the World Cup final [between Italy and France] last year, French and Italian fans were only given 4,000 [tickets] each, so Liverpool fans have done well,” William Gaillard, the Uefa director of communications, said. “It is impossible more will be released in the coming week – 17,000 is the final figure.”
The Times

[zarababe]

Just read on Sky sports:

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is hoping to have Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher's futures resolved this week.

The Reds are currently in negotiations with the experience duo with a view to securing their services on new long-term deals.

Both players have two years left on their existing deals having penned four-year contracts back in July 2005.

Benitez is preparing his side for their Premiership outing against Charlton and UEFA Champions League final clash with Milan, and hopes their contracts will be resolved soon.

"I hope it may be done this week, but we are talking and we are sure it will be done soon," he said.

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Hope it's sorted asap.