Daniel Agger, the Liverpool defender, says he has no intention of joining Real Madrid and is determined to show Rafael Benitez that he can seize his chance to return to the side.

After Martin Skrtel was ruled out with a long-term knee ligament injury, the 23-year-old Dane insists he is ready to step into the breach.

"Of course I hope to get some playing time, but this is not exactly the way I wished to get it," Agger said. "I know Martin very well because I share a room with him when we travel.

"I hope to get my chance and then I will prove that it's my place. On the other hand, it might as well be (Jamie) Carragher's place because I don't know why people only say it is me or Skrtel who are fighting each other for a place in the team.

"I have had to be patient this season and wait for my chance, I know how things are. The team have been playing really well and the results have been great, so I couldn't really expect the manager to make too many changes.

"The only thing for me to do was get my head down and concentrate on getting as fit as possible, so that if an opportunity came along, I was ready to take it."

Agger lost his place in the Liverpool team last season when he was dogged by a serious metatarsal injury. His inability to win it back this term has led to the former Brondby player being linked with a transfer to Real Madrid - vice-president Jose Angel Sanchez saying: "Agger is on top of our list."

But after putting in extra hours on the training ground in order to build up his fitness levels, Agger insists he has no desire to move to the Spanish capital.

He added: "There have been a few stories about me recently, but I couldn't be happier. I'm really glad to be a Liverpool player and all I want is to play a part in a great start."