Source: Telegraph
Liverpool's Yossi Benayoun signs twoyear contract extension
Concerns over the 29-year-old's future surfaced last month when he admitted he was considering a move away from Anfield after various clubs, including Villareal, Atletico Madrid and West Ham, had shown an interest.
But following talks with Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, Benayoun has accepted a two-year extension which will keep him at the club until 2013.
"I am very happy that we have reached an agreement," he said. "Of course, to be at a club like this is a dream come true and I want to keep playing here.
"Now I cant concentrate on the hard work that needs to be done and try to play better and win some silverware."
Benayoun, who moved to Anfield from West Ham in July 2007, netted nine goals in 42 appearances during the 2008/09 season. Perhaps the most crucial of these was the one he scored in Liverpool's first ever competitive visit to the Bernabeu to play Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16.
Delighted that another of his squad members has committed themselves to the club, Benitez said: "You know that our idea was to extend the contracts of some players and Yossi was one of these players.
"He has been really good for us over the last year, scoring crucial goals and getting assists, so we wanted to keep him and I'm really pleased with the extension."
Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Daniel Agger and Dirk Kuyt have all signed contract extensions recently but doubts continue to linger over two other crucial members of the Liverpool set up.
Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano are being courted by Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively and despite protestations from Benitez, who insists no big names will be leaving this summer, it remains unclear if the pair will start next season ni the Premier League.
