Reds face further defender interest

Zenit St Petersburg are the latest club interested in signing Martin Skrtel, but Liverpool remain hopeful of keeping him at Anfield.

Brendan Rodgers is overseeing a major overhaul of his squad but one of last thing he will want to do is to lose the services of Skrtel, who has been outstanding for the club and was voted Liverpool's player of the season in May. Manchester City have already been alerted to Skrtel's possible availability, after the defender revealed that contract extension talks with the Reds had stalled. But Liverpool will be reluctant to lose the defender to a Premier League rival. Now Zenit have joined the list of potential list of suitors, but Rodgers remains confident that he can persuade the defender to stay on and sign a new deal. Skrtel has in the past said he is committed to the Reds but there have been reports that he is less than happy with the continued lack of a Premier League challenge at Anfield.