Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, has confirmed Steven Gerrard is considering a contract offer from the club.
Rodgers says Gerrard deserves the ‘respect and time’ to make a decision about whether he remains at Anfield, where has been since he was nine years old.
Suggestions of a rift between the manager and player have been refuted by both parties, but it is clear Gerrard is considering whether to bring his Liverpool career to an end when he is out of contract this summer.
“The latest is we have spoken to Steven and his representative and he has been offered a contract here. At this moment that is where it is at,” said Rodgers. “For everything he has done here over 16 years he deserves the respect and time to consider that. It’s a big move in his life in terms of determining where his next contract will be. It certainly won’t be about money. I have spoken to him enough times and at length, so he deserves the opportunity to think about that. He is the best player I have worked in with the Premier League and I hope that continues, but i will give him as long as it takes.
“I saw some things written that were unfortunate in terms of a rift. That is disappointing. There is only honesty and respect between us. He is at the stage of his career where it’s not only about the number of games he plays but quality of those games.
“It is always the case no matter how good they have, once a player gets to the final years you have to work out how to get the best from him. Everyone knows his history and what a player he has been and still is. I still see that talent. He is a wonderful player. We are talking about someone who is still a world class talent but when you get older you have to manage that.
“Every players wants to play every game but his focus has always been on the team. It is about managing the period of his life he is in. It reaches every player. It is not an issue or a problem.
“One hundred per cent there is no problem and Steven made that point on social media. We have huge respect for each other.”
Glen Johnson is in a similar situation to Gerrard, although he has no deal on the table currently to consider.
“There were discussions between Glen, his representatives and the club at the end of last season and that’s between them. I’m not sure how far down the line that is,” said Rodgers.
“I had a conversation with Glen the other week about keeping his focus and there have not been too many times – apart from when he has been out with injury – when he has not been first class. His goal at the weekend showed that.”
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