Liverpool midfielder James Milner hopes his contract issue “gets resolved sooner rather than later” with just eight months left on his current deal.
The former England international, who turns 34 in January, will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs in just over two months.
He has seen most of the first-team squad tied down to long-term deals, with defender Joel Matip, out of favour this time last year, the latest to agree a five-year contract last week.
Negotiations are continuing over Milner’s future and manager Jurgen Klopp recently expressed a desire to see the veteran stay but so far nothing has been concluded.
“Who knows, you know?” said the midfielder.
“There have been talks so hopefully it gets resolved sooner rather than later.
“But at this moment I will just keep playing football as well as I can.”
A month ago Klopp described him as “Mr Professional” and a role model for the younger members of his squad, saying “he looks like he has a few more years in the locker”.
He may not be Klopp’s first choice any more but the manager has a tendency to play him in many of the big games. He has started the last 10 away matches in the Champions League.
With the midfield three of Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho looking slightly jaded in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, there could be more opportunities coming Milner’s way.
“I think as a player you want to play as many games as you can,” he added.
“Every time you get that chance to go out there and perform, you need to do it to the best of your ability and make it difficult for the manager to leave you it.
“We have a strong squad of players and the competition is strong in every position and that is what we need to push each other to perform.
“Having that amount of games is what happens when you’re successful, we are lucky enough to have been that and we are still in all the trophies.
“All the players are used to it, it doesn’t make it any easier, the boys with the internationals and travelling and that, but we have gone the distance in this competition for a couple of years so we know what it is all about.
“We need to carry on doing that, we need to keep looking after ourselves, have the luck with the injuries and things like that as well.”
Milner is widely admired by fellow pros, past and present, with former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra admitting on Monday he was the player who frustrated him the most.
Typically, the 33-year-old took it all in his stride when he was asked for the name of the player he felt similarly about.
“I don’t know really, it’s hard to name one – but it is nice to know Patrice thinks I was a nuisance,” he added ahead of the Champions League tie in Genk.
