Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson believes Steven Gerrard's
commitment to stay at the club means he will start the season with
a squad stronger than one he inherited from predecessor Rafael
Benitez.
Signing midfielder Joe Cole on a free transfer after he was
released by Chelsea was a real coup, but convincing Gerrard there
was a successful future ahead at Anfield was even more vital.
And, having held positive face-to-face talks with striker
Fernando Torres last week, even if Hodgson does lose the battle to
keep hold of midfielder Javier Mascherano, he is upbeat about the
new campaign.
"It will be a tough season with a lot of matches and the
disappointment of last season (finishing seventh) is going to take
a while to dissipate," said Hodgson. "But it is very good that our
best player is still going to be playing at this club.
"It's a great piece of news and fingers crossed the speculation
about Steven will go away.
"The club has made no secret and I have made no secret that I
came to work with people like Steven Gerrard, not to see him
disappear before I get the chance to work with him.
"It seems now with that commitment that this will happen. It
gives everyone a boost without question.
"Hopefully with the signing of Joe Cole - and if we are lucky
one or two others to boost the squad - we will be going into this
season's competition maybe stronger on paper than we were last
season."
Gerrard has been angered by suggestions he wanted to leave the
club, with all the speculation coming from Spain with suggestions
Jose Mourinho - who tried to sign the midfielder twice while
Chelsea boss - was preparing a move.
And the 30-year-old, who captained England at the World Cup in
South Africa, insisted his silence over the last six weeks was
purely due to the fact he had other matters to focus on.
"I made it clear that I simply needed to concentrate on the
World Cup and then have a decent holiday with my family," said the
midfielder.
"I wanted the chance to meet Roy Hodgson privately and, having
done so, I'm very impressed with his plans for the future.
"I've only returned to training yesterday at Melwood with some
of the other World Cup players, but I can't wait for the new season
to start.
"I know Joe well through the England set-up so it will be
fantastic to play alongside him in a red shirt for Liverpool."
With Gerrard's public commitment following so soon after Cole's
signing, next on the list of things to get done for Hodgson is to
elicit a similar response from Torres.
"I met Torres last Wednesday in Ibiza, albeit briefly," said the
manager. "He told me the groin problem (sustained in the World Cup
final) was not anything to worry about, it was something which
would clear up with rest on holiday.
"We are hoping he will come back fit and well."
The future of Mascherano remains less clear as Hodgson has been
unable to contact the Argentina captain after the World Cup.
"I left him a message saying I did not expect him to call me
back," he said. "The speculation about him leaving continues but,
as yet, it is just that, speculation. We have heard nothing from
Inter Milan."
Liverpool expect to complete the signing of 18-year-old Rangers
centre-back Danny Wilson later today.
The Reds were trailing the teenager before Benitez's departure
and have now finalised a deal, with £2million paid up front and the
fee rising to £5million depending on appearances.