Despite newspaper reports that Daniel Agger is set to reject a new Liverpool contract, Reds boss Rafa Benitez has hinted the Denmark international is a part of his future first-team plans. The centre-back has been persistently linked with a move away Anfield, with AC Milan understood to be monitoring prolonged contract negotiations.

The Liverpool boss said in the Mail on Sunday: "Agger knows what I think of him.

"If he stays fit, he will have as good a chance of playing as anyone else, maybe more."