Steven Gerrard will announce on Friday that he is leaving Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season. The 34-year-old midfielder, who has devoted his entire glittering career to his boyhood club, has taken the agonising decision to cut his ties with the Reds and move abroad. His exact destination has yet to be confirmed but the ECHO understands that Gerrard is likely to head for America to play in Major League Soccer. LA Galaxy are one of a number of teams keen on securing the services. Gerrard has also attracted interest from clubs in the Middle East. The longest serving captain in Liverpools history and arguably their greatest ever player has been considering his options since he was offered a 12-month extension to his current deal in November. Gerrard has now decided to go public about his plans because he doesnt want speculation about his future to become an unwanted distraction for Brendan Rodgers side during the second half of the season. It was never a question of money for Gerrard, who has rejected a number lucrative moves to the likes of Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich over the course of his career. His decision hinged on playing time and the Huyton-born star, who has found himself rested at times this season, believes the time is right to pursue a new challenge before he hangs up his boots. Gerrard, who scored twice when he returned to the Liverpool side in the 2-2 draw with Leicester City on New Years Day, has been with the club since he was eight years old. He has gone on to make 695 appearances and has scored 180 goals. Gerrard famously inspired Liverpools miraculous fightback against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul. Twelve months later it was his stunning double in the FA Cup final which helped the Reds overcome West Ham. The only major honour absent from his CV is the Premier League title which narrowly eluded him last season. He remains the only player to score in the finals of the Champions League, UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 02:26:39 +0000
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