Andy Hunter guardian.co.uk, Thursday 21 May 2009 00.05 BST
Leaving Anfield would have been a big mistake, admits Daniel Agger
• 'We are building towards something special' says defender
• Liverpool to face Atlético Madrid in pre-season friendly at Anfield
Daniel Agger has admitted he would have made a serious error had he rejected Liverpool's offer of a new contract and left the club this summer.
The Denmark international ended months of uncertainty over his future recently when he agreed terms on a new five-year contract with Liverpool, one that will replace the final 12 months of his existing deal and keep him at Anfield until 2014 on an improved salary of around £55,000 a week.
Agger had been reluctant to commit his future to Liverpool due in part to a lack of first-team starts under Rafael Benítez since returning from a series of metatarsal fractures, with Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel the manager's preferred partnership in central defence this season, and his agent held talks with the likes of Milan over the possibility of a cut-price move under the "Webster ruling" this summer. Now, however, with his deal agreed although unsigned, and Liverpool emerging as genuine rivals to Manchester United in the Premier League, the 24-year-old admits it would have been unwise to leave a club on an upward curve.
"I've agreed a contract, the manager has agreed a new contract, Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and some other players are all agreeing contracts so I think this shows you that within the club there is a real sense that we are building towards something special," said Agger, a £5.8m signing from Brondby in 2006. "Everyone wants to be successful, everyone wants to be part of it. If you don't, then I think you're making a big mistake. There is a lot that we should be proud of this season and we are."
Leaving Anfield would have been a big mistake, admits Daniel Agger
• 'We are building towards something special' says defender
• Liverpool to face Atlético Madrid in pre-season friendly at Anfield
Daniel Agger has admitted he would have made a serious error had he rejected Liverpool's offer of a new contract and left the club this summer.
The Denmark international ended months of uncertainty over his future recently when he agreed terms on a new five-year contract with Liverpool, one that will replace the final 12 months of his existing deal and keep him at Anfield until 2014 on an improved salary of around £55,000 a week.
Agger had been reluctant to commit his future to Liverpool due in part to a lack of first-team starts under Rafael Benítez since returning from a series of metatarsal fractures, with Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel the manager's preferred partnership in central defence this season, and his agent held talks with the likes of Milan over the possibility of a cut-price move under the "Webster ruling" this summer. Now, however, with his deal agreed although unsigned, and Liverpool emerging as genuine rivals to Manchester United in the Premier League, the 24-year-old admits it would have been unwise to leave a club on an upward curve.
"I've agreed a contract, the manager has agreed a new contract, Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and some other players are all agreeing contracts so I think this shows you that within the club there is a real sense that we are building towards something special," said Agger, a £5.8m signing from Brondby in 2006. "Everyone wants to be successful, everyone wants to be part of it. If you don't, then I think you're making a big mistake. There is a lot that we should be proud of this season and we are."
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