Steven Gerrard drops contract hint with talk of leaving Liverpool

Sport360 staff 06:54 01/11/2014
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  • Wants a new deal: Steven Gerrard says he will play on next season and it is up to Liverpool to decide if that will be at Anfield.

    Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is keen to continue his career beyond this season and admits he may be forced to leave Anfield if the club fails to offer him a new deal.

    Gerrard, who joined the Liver­pool Academy at the age of nine and is approaching 700 appearances in all competitions, is out of contract at his boyhood club at the end of the current campaign.

    While the 34-year-old remains a pivotal player having played in all nine of the club’s Premier League matches this season, he has cast doubt on whether he will be around next term.

    “I can only worry about this sea­son because I’m only contracted until May,” Gerrard said in an in­terview with the Daily Mail. “As it stands at the moment, I’m here until the end of the season and want to make the most of it. I certainly won’t be retiring this summer. I will play beyond this season.

    “We will have to wait and see if that’s at Liverpool or somewhere else. That’s Liverpool’s decision. If they don’t come then I will see what’s out there.”

    Gerrard also came to the defence of controversial striker Mario Balotelli, who has made an indifferent start to life at Liverpool with just two goals in 12 appear­ances and none in seven Premier League matches following his sum­mer move from AC Milan.

    Among those to have questioned the Italian’s credentials is Gerrard’s old friend and team-mate Jamie Carragher, who labelled Balo­telli as a “panic buy” following the departure of Luis Suarez to Barce­lona over the summer.

    Yet Gerrard said: “You have to respect Jamie’s opinion. He knows football but it’s too early to get on Mario’s back. He just needs time to score the goals he needs to prove to people he is worthy of staying here.

    “I am not going to judge him after 10 games. To come in after Suarez was always going to be a big ask and he’s not feeling sorry for himself. He is working hard, doing extra shooting sessions.

    “I’ve actually been impressed (with) the way he goes about his work. You hear all kinds of stories and rumours before you meet him, but he does all the work. I like the guy.”

    Today Liverpool tarvel to a resur­gent Newcastle side who knocked holders Manchester City out of the League Cup in midweek.

    The Toon fans have spent all season vociferously calling for Pardew’s head, and he has now asked them to get behind the team.

    “If we can get a victory against Liverpool, the new players in the group are going to see the other side of Newcastle fans, when we really can make a difference,” he said.

    “In the last couple of games the fans have been terrific.

    “They helped us (at City) and they helped us at Tottenham (last Saturday).”

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