Sami Hyypia wanted to re-sign for Liverpool, confirmed Bayer Leverkusen chief Wolfgang Holzhauser. New Anfield boss Roy Hodgson confessed earlier in August that he had unsuccessfully attempted to prise the veteran centre-back out of the remaining one year of his contract in Germany.
The Finnish international left Liverpool at the end of the 2008/09 season after 10 years on Merseyside.
Holzhauser told the Express newspaper: "Sami came to us asking if there would be any chance to return to Liverpool.
"We had an open discussion. Sami accepted straight away that we were desperate to keep him here.
"He is too important for us and a valuable part of our first-team squad. We could easily imagine keeping Sami at our club for more than the remaining year of his contract.
"He may add another season on the pitch and we are also considering adding him to our backroom staff afterwards, if he wants."
