Carlsberg will fight to keep Liverpool sponsorship

Danish brewer Carlsberg has moved to quash speculation that it will not continue its sponsorship of English Premier League club Liverpool beyond 2010.

In a telephone interview with Bloomberg, Carlsberg's international marketing director, Keld Strudahl dismissed reports suggesting the company was resigned to pulling out as "all speculation."

It is widely believed that Liverpool are looking to double what they currently get from Carlsberg for its shirt sponsorship deal to around US$25 million. Standard Chartered, the British financial company that narrowly missed out in its bid to become Manchester United's new sponsor this summer, is believed to be standing by with an offer.

“We’re still in discussion and it is absolutely possible that we will keep our sponsorship,” Strudahl said. “We’ve been in a sponsorship relationship for almost 18 years and that is what everybody wants to continue. We have a good relationship with the new management.”