Liverpool's Daniel Agger hopes to remain a Reds player next season but wants it to be for the right reasons.

Constant speculation has the Dane potentially leaving Anfield and contract talks have stopped and started but in his heart, Agger sees himself as remaining at Liverpool.

"I am at the stage of my career where I need to play - and want to play - but that situation has nothing to do with the contract talks," he said.

"It is nice to hear the manager wants to keep me, but the most important thing is what he tells me when I look him in the eyes.

"It's not what he says in the papers, it is what he says behind closed doors. I keep talks with the club confidential, so I cannot tell you what has been said.

"I don't know when things will be decided. I don't have a clue. In my heart, I hope I will be here next season but, really, I don't know.

"I know there have been some reports in Denmark that my agent has spoken to clubs in Italy, but they were wrong."