Report: Real Madrid Enter The Fray As Steven Gerrard Considers Quitting Liverpool
Sunday, January 17, 2010 @ 6:13 PM
Liverpool's talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard is allegedly on the verge of quitting the club in search of glory elsewhere, with The Daily Mail claiming that Real Madrid are now interested in the England star.
The Reds have had a dreary season, having been flushed from the Champions League into the Europa League and eliminated from both domestic cup competitions.
To add the their woes, there is a real danger of finishing outside the top four in the Premier League and thereby missing out on brushing shoulders with Europe's elite next term.
And with all this pointing toward another season of being competitors instead of winners, Anfield's biggest star is said to be entertaining the possibility of a move.
After watching the 1-1 draw with Stoke City, Gerrard - currently injured - is said to be having second thoughts about whether to stick around in the hope of winning some silverware, or whether to cash in and make a £40 million move in the summer.
It is believed that Real, Inter and Manchester City are closely monitoring the situation with a view to exercising their financial muscle and thrashing out a deal with the midfielder if he should become available.
The skipper's thoughts are alleged to be almost identical to those he entertained six years ago, when he came close to signing for Chelsea during Gerard Houllier's tenure at Anfield.
However, the Frenchman's successor, Rafael Benitez, took over the reins and justified the captain's decision to continue with the club, securing a Champions League trophy in his first season in charge.
To add to the situation, there have been reports claiming that Gerrard had an altercation with Benitez's assistant, Mauricio Pellegrino, over the hamstring injury that saw him substituted during the FA Cup loss to Reading, but those claims have been denied.
Source: goal.com