Ancelotti ready to join the race if Gerrard decides to leave Liverpool

Milan are ready to join the race to sign Steven Gerrard if the Liverpool captain decides to leave Anfield this summer.

Milan are ready to join the race to sign Steven Gerrard if the Liverpool captain decides to leave Anfield this summer.

Gerrard will face Milan in Wednesday's Champions' League final in Istanbul and the Milan coach, Carlo Ancelotti, yesterday expressed his appreciation of the midfielder. "Steven Gerrard is a great player. He is undoubtedly one of the best midfield players in the world," Ancelotti said.

"Of course any top club would want him in their side. I like him very much - he is a wonderful player.

"Right now he is a Liverpool player and I am not going to upset Liverpool by talking any more about him. But it will be different if he decides in the summer that he wants to leave Liverpool."

Harry Redknapp has confirmed he is to stay as Southampton manager as the club attempts an immediate return to the Premiership. The 58-year-old had sought assurances from his chairman, Rupert Lowe, that key players such as Peter Crouch and Kevin Phillips would not be sold.

Redknapp said: "I have reached an agreement with Rupert and I am delighted to announce that I am staying on. I have been here only a very short time but this club has come close to my heart and I am determined to lead us back into the Premiership. I have been given an assurance that Peter Crouch is staying, which is essential because he is important to what we are hoping to achieve."

West Bromwich Albion's player of the year Ronnie Wallwork has rejected a new two-year deal which his agent, Neil Sillett, claims would make the midfielder "one of the poorest paid players in the Premiership".

Wallwork had an outstanding second half of the season and the new offer, would run until the summer of 2007.