By RYAN TOLMICH
Steven Gerrard has spent nearly two decades as a member of Liverpool, but it appears the 34-year-old midfielder is set to move on to the next phase of his professional career with a possible move stateside.
The Liverpool Echo reported Thursday that Gerrard is set to announce on Friday that he will leave Liverpool at the conclusion of the season, and that MLS is most likely his next destination. Other outlets have reported that Gerrard, whose contract expires in the summer, has received an offer from the LA Galaxy as well as unnamed clubs in the Middle East.
Gerrard, who joined Liverpool’s youth setup when he was 9 years old, has made 19 appearances for the Reds this season and scored five goals. Two of those came in Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City.
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What do you think of a potential MLS move for Gerrard? How would he fit in with the Galaxy?
Share your thoughts below.
MLS has to break the cycle of signing former top players in their mid-to-late 30s. It has to stop. They should amend the DP rule to require that the player be sub-30!
I just finished saying Lampard-types were a dime a dozen for an MLS team. There are five of these stories a week.
I have to think TFC called him and said that he can join them and keep wearing red. Not sure how he is attached to Warrior though.
I think LA should go for some younger talent, but Gerrard has a few good seasons in him, and it’s hard to see him hurting the team.
Gerrad is very much the home town boy, I’d be concerned that he will be home sick. I’d suggest he stay on the East coast, closer to home.
Let me say that, as a Galaxy fan, I like your line of thinking and hope Gerrard takes your sage advice.
*Sarvas
Do people actually watch the Galaxy? Sarcasm and Juninho regressed? Without there play, we don’t win a title….big part of the dirty work and build up play. If Gerrard came (don’t really want him), I would go with a 4-2-3-1…with sarvas n juninho in front of back four….sarvas did not do well when played out wide and neither are bench players in MLS. However in this formation, Keane has said he is not a lone striker. I prefer Sneijder 1st then Mix.
I cannot wait to chop down that swine
I’d rather have someone who could play LM. But, I could see Bruce rotating Sarvas, Juni, & Stevie G in central midfield, giving rest when needed. Interesting, indeed.
Gerrard doesn’t necessarily strike me as the kind of player that would pull a stunt like Lampard did, though I hope MLS finds some sort of precautionary measure so that the players sign and come into the team as expected.
that “precautionary measure” is called “a normal contract”. Lampard’s contract A) was made simple by the fact that NYCFC is linked with City and B) was stated in the contract. It wasn’t like Lampard just “decided” to stay longer or that City “used some loophole” to keep him. It was known all along that he would train with City and be used at will in their games. The extension looks bad from our perspective yet to City, they probably assumed they would choose to keep him the whole season, only sending him back in Feb if he wasn’t showing well.
Was referring more to Gerrard’s loyalty to Liverpool that would prevent him from signing with another EPL team (still don’t think Chelsea supporters are too pleased) and agreeing to a misleading/shady deal with two clubs (really one club) that would potentially put the other club on the back burner if the higher ups decided they need him (and curtailing FFP all while doing so). Some truthful PR on NYCFC’s part would help by saying, “He can stay at Man City and we can’t force him to come at the start of the season.” But I’ll add “truthful PR” to your “normal contract” for “precautionary measures.” Thanks.
I don’t disagree. Cheers
As a LAG and MUFC supporter, let me just say…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No thanks. Don’t want him here.
No thanks. With Lampard abusing MLS, signing the clearly done Gerrard would be another way to hand back the leagues hard won growing respect
MLS should try to sell you a bridge, if you don’t think they are complicit in this fiasco.
Steven Gerrard was an amazing player. Zidane called him the best in the world over Messi and Ronaldo (5 yrs ago). Remember CL 2005 when he made Landon Donovan look oh so little.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/mar/09/minutebyminute.sport1
2005 was a decade ago now
If Zindane really thinks Gerrard was better than Ronaldo and Messi, then he’s smashed his head a few times too many.
LoL
Yeah….pretty ludicrous.
Didn’t Gerrard just last year say Lampard was too good for the Galaxy? He doesn’t really fit the need left by Landon anyway.
Or does he?
http://www.lagconfidential.com/2014/12/18/7413965/can-andrea-pirlo-or-wesley-sneijder-truly-replace-landon-donovan
GERRARD RETIRE WITH THE REDS MAN
IT JUST AIN’T WORTH IT. COME ON BRUH
as long as he doesn’t play with another EPL team, essentially he’d still be honoring the reds, but in a sense, if you’re a really good player getting old and you realize you’d be hurting the club by not being as quick, etc as you were; wouldn’t you want to keep playing for the love of the game– just at a club in a different (lesser (league) and still make money, gain exposure still (american market)? doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
*different (lesser) league*
He is only 34 . . he could probably still play, if his style suited it . . in a La Liga or Serie A. He can really still play in the right set up – so the MLS is a real option for him, as long as he doesn’t treat it like a big check on retirement.
If he comes in like Beckham, Keane or Henry, the MLS will be okay. If he comes in like Marquez or Mattheus, ouch. Jury is still out on Lampard to see if he really wants to play in America.
I’d say the jury is most definitely out on how much America wants Lampard at this point. Alright….. admittedly I’m likely just projecting….personally I’d tell him: Don’t bother.
He’s declined massively in the past year or so. Not sure how long he would contribute to the galaxy. I think a focus on slightly younger dps instead of guys with big names would be wise.
Yeah, I understood LFC had limited his role and placed more emphasis on the mobility of his CM pair based on the understanding he could no longer cover ground and go two ways all day now. If LAG do bring him in then they need to do what they did with Beckham and provide mobile cover in his area. Any DM behind him better have wheels.
+1…. I dont see how this help MLS…. this needs to stop..
NYCFC would be awesome, but only on condition he be loaned out prior to moving
If Lampard can leave Chelsea for Man City on “loan” from MLS, perhaps Gerrard can leave Liverpool for Man United.
interesting joke; there are a few MLS with partnering teams overseas that would make this possible. Sadly i can only think of DC United’s partnership with Sunderland ……….. blech…..
i feel like Bayern does too but i don’t know why I’m thinking that.
Massive if they get him, absolute upgrade from Sarvas or Juninho.
They’re not benching Sarvas or Juninho.
I’m guessing this means they’ll play a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with Gerrard Sarvas and Juninho as the three in the central midfield… probably with Gerrard playing in front of the other two, although it could be Sarvas who gets quite a few assists.
Instead of Husidic starting I’m guessing they’ll have Ishizaki and Zardes on either side of Keane.
With Rogers giving you width from the full back position, that certainly could work.
Sarvas and Juninho have regressed
Sarvas is getting old and didn’t juninho only score one goal last year?
Upgrade for sure!
When you are pretty much passing it into the goal like LA did for most of the year. Your central midfielders aren’t going to need to score from to many long distance strikes.
Couldn’t disagree more Sarvas & Juniho had career years in my opinion. Juniho lost his scoring touch but contributed in so many ways, both were great.
This^ So many fans only understand the stats. That’s fine if we are talking baseball or other sports. If you don’t actually watch the games, you would have missed just how fabulous Juni and Sarvas were. They totally allowed the attacking juggernaut of LAG to operate.
Yup. Juninho is not flashy, but rock solid, steady, works his butt off doing the dirty work game in and game out. He and Sarvas have established a heck of a rapport and both are pretty selfless. Juni didn’t score last year, but Galaxy didn’t need that from him as they had more options and played a different much wider game than in previous years with Rogers, Ishizaki giving excellent service… and LD often playing more on the wing. Gerrard has been a helluva player and an upgrade on paper, but I am pretty lukewarm on the idea. For the hype and price he’ll get, I’m just not convinced he’s the style player that’ll compliment their roster…. or locker room.