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Steven Gerrard has ruled out a playing return to Liverpool or any other club, insisting that he intends to rest ahead of next season’s MLS.
The LA Galaxy midfielder has been widely linked with a move back to Merseyside after speaking with the club’s new manager Jurgen Klopp, who is open to the former club captain training with his first-team squad at Melwood.
However, the midfielder has now seemingly put rumours of an incredible Anfield return to bed, claiming that now he has retired from international football, he has no reason to leave the United States.
I need to get some rest because I’ve got a very long season ahead next year...
<p>Steven Gerrard</p>
“I’ve retired from the national team so I don’t have to go and prove myself in Europe,” Gerrard told Eurosport International .
“I need to get some rest because I’ve got a very long season ahead next year, so it’s very important I come back strong, rested and ready to go again.”
Show all 28 1 /28Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Liverpool: Players linked with transfers <b>INS: </b>Mattia Perin (Genoa) Regular poor performances from Simon Mignolet have meant speculation speculation surrounding the goalkeeper position has been rife. Perin, 23, is seen as a future replacement for Gianlugi Buffon but he is being linked as a potential replacement for Liverpool understudy Adam Bogdan.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Alex Teixeira (Shakhtar) Liverpool showed their hand on 21 January when they made an audacious £24.6m offer to sign Shakhtar Donetsk forward Alex Teixeira, who has been linked with a move to Premier League rivals Chelsea. Is said to have already agreed personal terms but the Ukrainian club, who were in Orlando for the Florida Cup at the time, reportedly value the 26-year-old at £38m.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona) Is the clear No 2 at Barcelona to Claudio Bravo but the German is an extremely talented keeper and also nine years younger than the Chilean. Klopp has already said "no", Simon Mignolet has signed a new five-year deal, but the rumours just won't go away.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) No chance. At all. The reasons he might: He used to play for Klopp. The reasons he won't: Klopp couldn't hold onto him at Dortmund; he's valued at £70m; he said he doesn't want to play in the Premier League; Real Madrid are of much more interest to him; Liverpool are not Champions League or title contenders; why would he leave Bayern Munich unless for a team on par or better? Sorry.
Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Alvaro Morata (Juventus) A new name to be linked with the club, Gazzetta dello Sport report that Liverpool are battling Manchester United and Arsenal for the Spaniard, who starred in last season's run to the Champions League final. He is out of favour this season however and has just one Serie A goal - Juventus are still said to want £45m for the 23-year-old.
Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Javier Hernandez (Bayer Leverkusen) The Reds are linked with a summer move for former Manchester United striker Chicharito, who has been in unstoppable form for Leverkusen this season.
Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Granit Xhaka (Borussia Monchengladbach) The 23-year-old Swiss midfield enforcer is an impressive athlete and good on the ball. Borussia Monchengladbach are said to have put his asking price at around £20m and will listen to offers. He has said it is "a childhood dream" to play in the Premier League.
Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich) Unlikely but, having struggled with injury recently, the World Cup winner has been linked with a Jurgen Klopp reunion.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Andrea Ranocchia (Inter) The defender has fallen out-of-favour with boss Roberto Macini, despite captaining the side last season. Ranocchia, who has rejected a move to Norwich City, could be available on loan.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Neven Subotic (Borussia Dortmund) A Klopp favourite during his time at Dortmund. Could provide more cover at centre-back that the Liverpool boss needs.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Joel Matip (Schalke 04) The defender's contract runs out in the summer and Liverpool have agreed a deal in principle to bring him to Anfield on 1 July.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) Seizing the signature of Borussia Dortmund’s mercurial winger has been a pipe-dream for many a Liverpudlian over the last three years - but now that his mentor has arrived at Anfield, what was once improbable is now very slightly possible. Has apparently made a pact with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not to leave until the other is ready.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Domenico Berardi (Juventus) The Italian has drawn comparisons with Thomas Muller during his spell on loan at Sassuolo from Juventus. He is a good finisher who can play on the wing, at number 10, and also up front- at the ripe age of 21 he has 33 Serie A goals to his name and would offer Liverpool a refreshing level of versatility. However, it is hard to say whether Juventus would be willing to let him go or not.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Diego Lopez (AC Milan) A potential goalkeeper solution could see Liverpool look to offload Mario Balotelli, who is already on loan at the San Siro, in exchange for Spanish stopper Diego Lopez. Lopez, who won the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2014, is 34 and has a few years left in him. Due to recent injury his position has been taken by the exceptionally talented 16-year-old Gianluigi Donnarumma.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Jack Butland (Stoke City) The young Stoke keeper has enjoyed a marvellous season so far - he’s made the third most saves in the Premier League this season and a lot of them have been spectacular. His quality belies his youth but Simon Mignolet recently signed a new five-year deal.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Riccardo Saponara (Empoli) The Italian is another pacey attacking midfielder who can play centrally or on the wing. He struggled in a brief spell at AC Milan but at Empoli he has been brilliant, with 11 goals and seven assists in 26 matches since re-joining the club in January. He's rated at €20m.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Jese Rodriguez (Real Madrid) The Real Madrid man has seemingly been linked with a move to the Reds forever. But now that he is playing more regularly at Real Madrid, there seems to be less noise concerning an exit from the Bernabeu.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Lucas Biglia (Lazio) The Lazio and Argentina hard man has previously been linked with the club and rivals Manchester United. He's already 29 and plays in the same position as the younger Lucas Leiva, who has impressed under Klopp after falling out of favour with Brendan Rodgers. Seems unlikely.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Mauro Icardi (Internazionale) The Italian striker is now one of Liverpool's 'top targets' according to reports in Italy. He would cost €35m (£24.5m) to bring to the club from Inter, where he has eight goals in 16 league matches this season. He was joint top scorer in Serie A last season with 22. But with big money strikers Sturridge and Benteke already at the club, does Klopp really need another?
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Leroy Sane (Schalke) German newspaper Bild has the Reds linked with Schalke's teenage winger. The 19 year old is already a German international and Bild claims that Klopp has launched a £10m bid.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Rico Henry (Walsall) The Walsall teenager has been dubbed the new Ashley Cole and is apparently being chased by all the big boys. The left-back, who can also play as a midfielder, has been watched by scouts of Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Shane Long (Southampton) Shane Long has been linked with a move to Anfield following the arrival of Charlie Austin at Southampton. Apparently Saints could be open to letting the Republic of Ireland international depart for around £8m now that cover has been found.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Mario Lanzini (West Ham United) The transfer committee obviously still like signing players who have performed well against them. The Italian is on a season-long loan from Al Jazira so any move would have to wait for the summer. Lanzini has a £5.5m buyout clause.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers <b>OUTS: </b>Jose Enrique (defender) Last played in January after being frozen out by Rodgers, Klopp has given him another chance to make an impression. He almost joined West Brom on deadline day and may well be of interest to Premier League clubs again in January.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Daniel Sturridge (striker) The oft-injured striker is linked with a cheeky £18m bid by West Ham United. It seems unlikely but Sturridge has played just six matches this season and it is not known if he has the full trust of Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Joe Allen (midfielder) Forever linked with the exit door, the Welshman is always mooted for a move to another Premier League club. That hasn't change this month, with former club Swansea interested.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Divock Origi (striker) The Belgian youngster started a couple of games but proved he was a long way away from being ready for Premier League football. Another loan spell could beckon despite Liverpool's striker crisis.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Christian Benteke (striker) Joined the Reds from Aston Villa for £32.5m in the summer but is already said to be disgruntled at his lack of playing time under Jurgen Klopp. The Belgian has only started three matches in 2016 with the German preferring Roberto Firmino - of those three starts, two came against Exeter City in the FA Cup. Will apparently consider his options after Euro 2016
The Liverpool-born Gerrard recently holidayed in the city following the end of LA Galaxy’s MLS season and watched his old club’s defeat to Crystal Palace at Anfield two weeks ago.
In a pre-match press conference before Saturday’s evening kick-off against Manchester City, Klopp confirmed he had spoken to Gerrard during the midfielder’s short stay but said that he had not trained with the first team.
“He is a really, really good person. I enjoyed our time together and we spoke about many things,” Klopp said of the pair’s meeting.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (Getty Images) “He doesn’t want to play next week or train next week – he wants to enjoy his holiday.
"If he wants to train, of course, he can, no question. He can use Melwood and then go back to LA and train and play.”
While speaking to Eurosport, Gerrard outlined that his target for next season is to win a trophy with LA Galaxy.
“I think it’d be fantastic to win the league over here but it certainly wouldn’t make amends for finishing second three times,” Gerrard said.
"They were very frustrating and disappointing moments and experiences I’ll never forget. But certainly the plan and the target for me, and the dream, is to try and become champion in the USA.”
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