Hodgson set to give Carragher new contract

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has revealed he is ready to give veteran defender Jamie Carragher a new contract.

Hodgson believes Carragher’s experience will be vital as he tries to rebuild a squad that finished seventh in the Premier League last season – the Reds’ worst final position for over a decade.

Carragher endured a mixed campaign personally as he went through a slump in form for a while, but it ended on a high when he was selected for England’s World Cup squad.

The 32-year-old has only one year left on his present deal and Hodgson is happy to extend the centre-back’s stay at Anfield.

“I’m sure it (a contract extension) will be a priority,” Hodgson said.

“Quite frankly so much has happened in the last five weeks, the hours I’ve spent at the club are enormous, that we haven’t actually got round to discussing contracts with players.

“I now know that Carragher has got one year left. That’s the only contract of a player that I know about. If you asked me how many years the others have got, I haven’t got a clue.”

Hodgson also admitted he has tried to persuade former Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia to return to the club in a coaching capacity.

Hyypia left Liverpool to join German club Bayer Leverkusen last year after a long spell on Merseyside and Hodgson was keen to add his experience to his backroom staff.

“I’m a bit disappointed that my attempts to bring Sami Hyypia back failed. It only failed because he’s so important to Bayer Leverkusen,” Hodgson said.

“We couldn’t get him out of his contract. He’s one I would also put in the Jamie Carragher-Steven Gerrard mould, Liverpool for life.

“Unfortunately he was let go at the end of the season before last and we can’t get him back. He’s too valuable to them.”