Stunning comments from Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard who has admitted that he could be playing for someone else next season.
The 34-year-old’s contract expires next June, and he has not so far been offered another one. Gerrard, who has been with Liverpool since age 9, insists he will still be playing next season, but not necessarily for the Reds.
He told the Daily Telegraph:
“I won’t be retiring this summer. I will play beyond this season. We will have to wait and see if that’s at Liverpool or somewhere else. That’s Liverpool’s decision.”
Gerrard, who captained England at the World Cup in Brazil this summer, retired from international football in an attempt to prolong his club career.
But he has had a frustrating start to the campaign, as Liverpool have so far failed to match the standards that saw them finish runners-up to Manchester City in the Premier League last season.
Gerrard has indicated that he would have liked to see Liverpool spend a larger chunk of that money on trying to bring in a big name such as Cesc Fabregas or Diego Costa, both of whom joined Chelsea before the start of the season.
But he believes that a move for either player would have gone against the transfer policy operated by owners Fenway Sports Group.
He said: “When you come close to the title, it is important you keep your main players. It’s not just about those coming in, it’s about what got you there.
“You need to keep that together and add to it. When you are taking big chunks of it away and adding five or six into it, it’s not going to happen overnight.
“I would love a Fabregas or Costa here, but I have to understand how the owners want to do it and accept I am a Liverpool player, not a Chelsea or Manchester City player.
“They [Fenway Sports Group] have gone on record saying they want to bring exciting young talent into the club. You can’t just expect that to click overnight.”
It is clear from the interview that Gerrard and Liverpool’s Boston based owners, Fenway Sports Group, have a difference of opinion on the direction of the club. Time is running out on Gerrard’s career and he desperately wants to win the Premier League title, while FSG are more focused on being top four contenders for the foreseeable future.
It is difficult to imagine Gerrard wearing a different shirt next season, but then I thought the same about Frank Lampard playing against Chelsea this season.
If Gerrard does leave where does he go? Man United are out for obvious reasons, which leaves Man City, Chelsea or Arsenal. Gerrard turned down a move to Stamford Bridge a number of years ago. Could he finally end up in a Chelsea shirt next season?
