Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher wants the likes of Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano to commit themselves publicly to the cause.

Carragher told the People: "When you have gone as close as we did last season you don't want to lose anyone from your squad, and all I would say is that I don't want any of our influential players to leave.

"I'm not naming names, but there have been stories that certain players could leave the club and it's important that those things are settled sooner rather than later.

"The last thing we want is to be going into the new season not knowing whether someone is going to leave before the transfer window closes.

"So the quicker these things are sorted the better because then we can concentrate on the business of winning football matches."