Steven Gerrard has inadvertently fuelled talk
that he might leave Liverpool by confirming he will consider his
future after the World Cup.
By insisting that all of his attention is focused on England
rather than on the latest transfer gossip, Gerrard was unable to
offer the categorical assurance that he would be remaining at
Anfield.
Instead, Gerrard acknowledged that he will have a decision to
make once he returns to England from South Africa - an admission
that is bound to intensify the speculation that he has become
disillusioned with life at Anfield.
"I'm not really interested at the moment in what's going on at
Liverpool. Hopefully things might happen while I'm away this
summer. There might be players coming in to help strengthen the
team, we'll have to wait and see, but I won't consider my future or
think about what is going to happen to me until after the World
Cup. My focus has got to be on England now," Gerrard told The
Observer.
The Liverpool captain is rumoured to be Real Madrid's number one
transfer target this summer with Jose Mourinho expected to bid for
the midfielder once his own transfer to the Bernabeu is confirmed.
Gerrard has been pursued by Mourinho in the past, most notably four
years ago when the then-Chelsea boss almost prised him out of
Anfield, but Gerrard is determined not to be distracted by transfer
talk at what is likely to be his final World Cup.
"I fell into the trap four years ago - in the last World Cup,
where I was driving myself mad thinking about my future. I won't be
making that mistake again. I feel as if I am experienced enough now
to park issues like that.
"I hope I have learned from what happened in Germany four years
ago. You do have quite a lot of time on your hands in World Cups
and I used to go back to my room and read the papers and go on the
internet, and then I would speak to people at home who were telling
me that there was stuff going on.
"People around me are under strict instructions not to be
talking about my club future or any sort of speculation. That's not
important now. What is important is that I have a good World Cup
with the team. Agents, friends and family have been told not to
mention club stuff to me."
teamtalk.