Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes captain Steven Gerrard still has "a few good years left in him yet".
The 32-year-old midfielder has one year left on his contract but Rodgers would not be drawn on the possibility of a new deal being negotiated.
Rogers likened the Anfield captain to Italian veterans Cristiano Zanetti and Andrea Pirlo, and said his priority was to keep Gerrard at the club.
"That's something that's private between Steven and I and the club," he said when asked about contract talks.
"There's no doubt that if there's a message to take (it's that) he's 32 years of age, he's super fit at the moment.
"He's played every minute of every game and as a captain he's been brilliant this year. I still think there's a good few years left in him yet. We work very hard on his individual plan to make him as fit as he possibly can be and the rest is all him really.
When asked what made Gerrard special, Rodgers said: "His responsibility on the field. How he manages himself off the field, he's been first class. So as I said, he's 32 (and) 33 in May and I still see another good three to five years left in him yet as long as everything holds up with his body, which this year has been near on perfect so that's something we will sort out in due course.
"He's a brilliant professional. You look at guys in their games, the likes of Zanetti at Inter Milan and Pirlo - these guys are still talked about as top European players and Steven currently is that at the moment and I can see him being that for the next number of years. As I said, he's had a fantastic season up until now and he wants to finish it strong.
"His priority is always Liverpool. That's the real humbleness around the guy - he's more worried about the football club than himself. But I as a manager want to make sure that he stays here because he's very, very important for what I want to do."
Liverpool's next match is at home to West Ham United on Sunday.
