Spearing signs new deal

Liverpool midfielder Jay Spearing has signed an extension to his contract with the Anfield club.

No details were revealed, but the 22-year-old, who has become a first-team regular under Kenny Dalglish, joins Lucas Leiva, with whom he has formed an impressive midfield partnership, and Dirk Kuyt in signing new deals.

Director of football Damien Comolli told the club's website: "He won his place in the team on merit and has showed in the last games that he can raise his game to what we need."

He addede: "To be fair to him, it's not only what he has done in the last four or five games that triggered the new contract. We have been talking for quite a while, independently of what he was doing on the field. But that was confirmation that it was the right thing to do.

"His commitment and aggression on the pitch is fantastic and since he has been playing I think he has added some passing quality which we didn't see before. He has started to get forward more and the more he plays the more he improves.

"We think he will be part of the future of the club which is why we rewarded him with a new contract.

"He was part of the team which won two Youth Cups and he was telling me when he signed his contract that he has been here since he was seven.

"It's great for the club to have people like him around and it shows others that if you do well at the Academy then you have a chance of getting new contracts."