A look at the five possible career moves of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard…
Steven Gerrard is still waiting on a contract offer from Liverpool as he approaches the final six months of his current Anfield deal, and it’s now a realistic possibility that the Reds long-serving captain could be leaving the club this summer.
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A Liverpool without Gerrard is an almost unimaginable phenomenon, Gerrard’s influence might be waning, but he is still a key member of the squad and played a big part in helping them finish second in last season’s Premier League title race.
Here are five possible career moves from the former England skipper:
Stick With Liverpool
Gerrard has remained loyal to his boyhood club for his entire career, despite plenty of transfer speculation over the years, and the general consensus appears to be that if he is offered a realistic new deal, then he will accept it. Gerrard has made no secret of his desperation to win the Premier League title, and having come so close last season, he may will have been convinced to keep trying.
The question is, do Liverpool want to keep him? Opposition teams have certainly began to ‘work out’ how to cope with him sitting in the holding role, and perhaps the Reds could do worse than be without his big wages. Any extension will likely require a drop in his demands, and it will come down to whether the club and player can agree on a figure.
Stay In The Premier League
Manchester City have shown a passing interest in recruiting Gerrard, following on from the success of Frank Lampard’s loan move so far this season. Plenty of other Premier League players have finished their careers elsewhere, after playing with the same team for a number of years, with Rio Ferdinand another prominent example.
Drop Down The Divisions
Back in the late 1970’s a host of Liverpool players moved to fourth division Swansea City, and inspired them to three promotions in four years under the leadership of former Reds manager John Toshack. If Gerrard wanted guaranteed football and the chance to become a lower-league icon on highly reduced wages, he could no doubt have his pick of any club in the league.
Stay In Europe
The most recent interest in Gerrard has come from Italy, and Inter Milan. Serie A’s reputation has fallen in recent years, but is still home to some of the world’s best players. Experienced playmakers such as Andrea Pirlo enjoy the slower pace to the game and are able to pick their passes at will. It could be the ideal move for Gerrard if he wishes to go abroad.
Head For The MLS
Or Gerrard could follow in the footsteps of David Beckham and move to the MLS, with the New York Cosmos having already declared an interest. Gerrard would be a superstar in the States, and would be joining some truly brilliant players seeing out their careers. However, if he is looking for competitive top level games, this is definitely the wrong option.
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