Liverpool veteran and captain Steven Gerrard is leaving the club at the end of the season, the 34-year-old has confirmed.
The England international and midfielder has revealed that he will not be renewing his contract with the club after a tough 2-2 draw against Leicester City, one of many disappointing results for the Anfield squad this season. He has also stated that he will not return to the Premier League and compete against his long-term club, unlike Frank Lampard who hung up his boots for Chelsea before being loaned out to Manchester City.
Gerrard said: “This has been the toughest decision of my life, one both me and my family have agonised over for a good deal of time.”
He added: “I won’t be playing for a competing club and will not therefore be lining up against Liverpool – that is something I could never contemplate.
“My decision is completely based on my wish to experience something different in my career and life and I also want to make sure that I have no regrets when my playing career is eventually over.
“From now until the last kick of the last game of the season, I will be as fully committed to the team as I ever have been and giving everything I have to help Liverpool win games.”
Gerrard celebrating Liverpool’s Champions League victory in 2005.
Gerrard made his debut with Liverpool in November 1998, coming on as a substitute in a match against Blackburn Rovers. Though he has never captured the Premier League trophy with the club, during Gerrard’s time with Liverpool he has lifted the Uefa Cup, two FA Cups, three League Cups, one Community Shield and two Uefa Super Cups. His crowning moment with Liverpool, though, was his 2005 Champions League win against Milan, with him scoring his team’s first goal before they went on to win on penalties.
Gerrard would have likely hoped to end his career on a far more successful season for Liverpool, with them currently languishing in eighth place in the table, but it’s unquestionable just how much of a positive impact he’s had on his team’s success.
Speaking of his departure, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said: “It is almost an impossible task to find the words to appropriately sum up Steven Gerrard and his importance to Liverpool.
“This is an era where the word ‘legend’ is vastly overused, but in his case it actually doesn’t do him justice.”
Gerrard will likely hang up his boots for the club on 24th May, 2015, when Liverpool finish off their Premier League season against Stoke.
Photo: Getty Images
