Sami Hyypia is delighted to have signed his new Liverpool contract.

"I'm delighted that everyone wants me to stay here," he told liverpoolfc.tv. "I have a good relationship with everyone at the club, the fans and the players, so it would have been a big wrench for me to leave.

"But I wasn't thinking about it too much. The most important thing for me was to concentrate on the games and if I played well then maybe the club would want me to stay.

"I would have had some options to go elsewhere but everything here has been great and I have enjoyed everything about my time here.

"It's not so common for a foreign player in this country to spend ten years at one club so I am delighted to stay with this great club.

"We will see what next year brings. I will keep working hard and keep myself fit and whenever the manager needs me I will be there."