Jamie Carragher commits to Liverpool until 2013

Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher are the beating heart of Liverpool

Liverpool have announced that vice-captain Jamie Carragher has signed a two-year contract extension and is now tied to the club until the summer of 2013.

Carragher was granted a testimonial fixture against Everton at the start of September and is currently enjoying his 15th season at the club.

At the age of 32, the defender has made 641 appearances for the Reds, putting him sixth in the all-time list.

He can expect to overtake Phil Neal, Ian Rush, Emlyn Hughes and Ray Clemence if he stays injury-free until the end of his deal, but Ian Callaghan's total of 857 appearances looks unassailable.

Carragher made his Liverpool debut in 1997 and has won two FA Cups, two League Cups, the UEFA Cup and the Champions League during his time at Anfield.

"We've been talking about it for the last couple of weeks but obviously there's been more important business for the club to deal with and rightly so,'' Carragher said. "Mine was put to the back of the queue and that was no problem but it's finally sorted now.

"When Liverpool offer you a contract you sort it out pretty quickly. I'm looking forward to hopefully finishing my career at the club. Since the day I made my debut, my dream would have been to finish my career at the club and hopefully now that will be the case.''

Manager Roy Hodgson admitted he was delighted to offer the Bootle-born defender a new contract.

"I am really pleased Jamie has been offered and agreed a new contract,'' he said. "He is part of the heart and soul of this club and is a man who literally would do anything to achieve success for the club and he has proved it over the last ten years or so in the Premier League.

"His contribution on the field has been of the very highest quality. Jamie has been one of the few players in the seven league matches this season who could hold his hand up and say 'I can't do any better, you could never put a lack of result down to my performance'. That is something to be proud of.''