Saturday, May 29, 2010

Liverpool Issue Hands Off Warning To Madrid Over Gerrard

Liverpool are determined to fend off a fourth attempt by Jose Mourinho to sign skipper Steven Gerrard.

The Portuguese manager is set to take over at Real Madrid and has once again expressed his admiration for the Reds midfielder.

During his spell in charge at Chelsea, Mourinho made a move for Gerrard in the summer of 2004, 2005 and 2006.

However, despite coming perilously close to leaving after the Champions League triumph five years ago, Gerrard opted to rebuff Mourinho’s advances and stay loyal to his boyhood club.

The Reds captain, who will play for England against Japan on his 30th birthday this Sunday, signed a contract extension last July to keep him at Anfield until 2013.

But after a dismal season at Liverpool and ongoing discontent off the pitch, his future is again the subject of intense speculation.

Manager Rafa Benitez won’t contemplate parting company with the club’s talisman and co-owner Tom Hicks has promised Gerrard will not be sold.

However, that won’t stop Mourinho from testing the player’s resolve as he starts to splash the cash at the Bernabeu following his departure from Champions League winners Inter Milan.

“I like players in the final part of their careers,” Mourinho said.

“They are players that you buy and you won’t recover this money, but if they give you good performances for two or three years you’ve got your money’s worth.

“Both (Gerrard and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard) are great players who always give everything.”

Gerrard said he was putting all contemplation about his club future on hold until after the World Cup finals. He is determined to ensure transfer gossip doesn’t distract win from his mission to help England to glory in South Africa.

But it’s clear the Reds skipper has been deeply hurt by the downturn in the club’s fortunes over the past 12 months.

And he is waiting to see if the club match his own ambition and hunger for silverware by investing heavily in the transfer market this summer.

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