Cape Town - Dejan Lovren says he is close to signing a new deal with Liverpool after insisting he sees his future with the Merseyside club.
The 27-year-old Croatian international, who joined the Reds from Southampton in 2014, has gone onto become an important part of Jurgen Klopp's side, playing in 25 games in all competitions this season.
He came off battered and bruised following a commanding performance, against city rivals Everton on Saturday, where he suffered under a heavy challenge from Ross Barkley, having just returned from two months out with a knee injury.
Speaking after the game, the former Dinamo Zagreb and Lyon centre-back said: "Progress on the contract is going on and I would say that hopefully everything will be clear in the next month.
"Like I have said many times about my future, I am really happy here. I am settled after everything that happened in the beginning.
"I just want to improve every day here, show my quality and give my best for the club."
And on the tackle by Barkley, that could easily have seen him dismissed, Lovren added that he at least expected an apology for the challenge.
He said: "That is the only thing I do not like. If you make a hard challenge than be open about it and say sorry or something like that.
"Don't talk to the referee and say it was not a foul. I think everyone saw it, especially me, but now it is over.
"If I show you [my leg] it will be headlines tomorrow.''