Rafa - Hyypia must wait

Centre-back forced to wait for contract negotiations

By Peter Fraser   Last updated: 27th February 2008

Hyypia Sami

Hyypia: Contract wait

I am really pleased with him. He doesn't have to prove anything.

Rafa Benitez on Sami Hyypia
Quotes of the week

Related links

Teams

Players

Also see

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has revealed Sami Hyypia will be forced to wait until later in the season to discover if he is to earn a new deal at Anfield.

Hyypia joined the Reds from Dutch outfit Willem II in 1999 when ex-Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier paid £3million for the former Finland international's services.

The 34-year-old is out of contract in the summer, but has previously spoken of his desire to earn a new deal at Anfield and complete a decade on Merseyside.

However, Benitez has stated that Hyypia will have to wait before finding out if he is to stay with the Reds.

Wait

"I was talking with him but he knows we have to wait a little bit," Benitez told Liverpool's official website.

"The question now is to see how he progresses, but he knows my thoughts. We know him and he knows why we have to analyse the situation."

Hyypia has proved to be more than value for money in his nine years with Liverpool as he has gone on to make 434 appearances and helped the Reds to successes in the UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, Uefa Cup and League Cup.

And Benitez, who took up the Anfield reins in 2004, has admitted he has been impressed by Hyypia during his time with the club.

Solid form

Daniel Agger began this season as Benitez's first choice partner for Jamie Carragher at the heart of the Liverpool defence, but Hyypia has taken full advantage of the Danish international's lengthy foot injury to secure a solid run of form in the first-team.

"I am really pleased with him. He doesn't have to prove anything," Benitez added.

"Every year he has been a key player for us. He's a centre-back with experience who's good in the air and who can play the ball.

"He is playing more games than we maybe expected this season but every game his performance is good."