Legendary player for Liverpool and the Premier League Steven Gerrard has stated that he is glad he declined Chelsea’s offer, although he regrets not playing for Jose Mourinho.

Gerrard was drawing interest from teams all over the world after leading the Reds to the Champions League in 2005 and winning man of the match for his performance in the final against AC Milan in Istanbul.

The midfield man reportedly turned down a record-breaking contract offer from Chelsea in order to remain with the Merseyside team.

Gerrard was eligible to play for Liverpool’s opponents in the Premier League.

The CEO of Liverpool, Rick Parry, even went so far as to say that Gerrard had been “lost” to Chelsea, despite the midfielder’s previous willingness to play for Liverpool’s Premier League opponents.

But the England international made a U-turn later on and continued to play for his hometown team until 2015.

Gerrard said of Mourinho on Rio Ferdinand’s FIVE YouTube channel, “I love the manager, I love the man.”

“We’ve been in a distant relationship for a very long time. However, I regret not playing for the coach and the man because I know they would have improved me as a player.

“I am aware that we would have added more medals to my collection of victories.

Liverpool Gerrard Steven First Division
Gerrard Steven at Liverpool.
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But now that I’m thinking back, I don’t regret not signing with Chelsea in the slightest. I’m pleased with the choice I made.

Gerrard was not successful in winning the Premier League.

Gerrard went on to win an FA Cup, a League Cup, and a Community Shield while playing for Liverpool. He admits that he would have developed as a player under the Special One and added more medals to his collection if he had decided to transfer to Stamford Bridge.

Among his many accomplishments, the renowned midfielder’s failure to win the Premier League title during his career is conspicuous.

The midfielder’s contributions to Liverpool and his devotion to the team have earned him the admiration of the supporters.

In order to ensure his place in Reds history, he turned down bigger offers and higher salary elsewhere.

Although he was unable to bring home many trophies from Anfield, he was admired by the Liverpool supporters and served as an inspiration to a new generation of players.

According to reports, Michael Edwards has his sights set on a European club after declaring his aim to expand FSG’s roster upon his return to Liverpool later this month.

Fernando Torres scores for Liverpool Legends, turning back the clock.

Football Insider reports that the Reds’ owners are investigating a takeover offer for Toulouse, a Ligue 1 team that we played against in the 2013-14 Europa League group stage.

The two teams already have some connections: RedBird Capital, the principal owner of Les Violets, owns an 11% stake in FSG, and Damien Comolli, the club’s current president, was Anfield’s director of football strategy before overseeing the transfer of Luis Suarez.

READ MORE: Journalist says Liverpool has made an offer for a “ruthless” £39 million attacker. “Could be sold.”

Many Reds fans who had concerns about multi-club ownership (MCO) may have objected to Edwards’ aspirations to broaden FSG’s football portfolio beyond Liverpool.

The fans of teams that feel as though their identity is being taken away in order to serve one flagship team—Manchester City in the case of the former—have criticised other examples, such as the City Football Group and the Red Bull stable.

If FSG is fully committed to following the MCO route, we hope they do it the proper way and build solid relationships with teams from all around Europe and beyond, without necessarily using them as Liverpool’s “feeder” sides.

Regretfully, in contemporary football, this contentious ownership paradigm has proliferated. As long as the Boston-based businesspeople don’t just turn a decades-old club into an LFC Lite, we have no problem with formalised agreements being formed.

Mo Salah is currently anticipated to remain at Liverpool for at least one more season.

Naturally, that depends on a new manager and the club’s reorganised executive branch agreeing on what to do with the Egyptian.

Fernando Torres scores for Liverpool Legends, turning back the clock.

Ben Jacobs said on CaughtOffside’s The Debrief podcast, “With Salah, the feeling was always that he’d do one more season at Liverpool, which is bad news for the Saudis this summer, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be patient and wait until summer 2025.”

Will Salah’s attitude change now that a new manager is on board? Is now the right time to put an end to it, or will he embrace the chance to assist Liverpool begin a new chapter?

“Liverpool is in a win-win situation in many aspects since the Saudis will make the same financial offer, give or take. The club will most likely be Al-Hilal rather than Al-Ittihad. If Liverpool wins it, they’ll have a significant financial advantage come summertime when trying to find a replacement.

“That’s the point at which a player like Pedro Neto might be valued at £70 million or £80 million. Salah will stay if it suits Liverpool better. From a transitional perspective, it’s excellent since they have more time to find a long-term successor. In addition, he brings tremendous energy to the locker room and has scored more than 20 goals in eight straight seasons.

“I believe Liverpool will either have a smoother transition under a new manager or they will be able to cash in.” The decision made over which of those paths to follow will first depend on the identity of the new manager, after which Salah will speak with Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards. Liverpool wanted their CEO of Football, their sporting director, and their hierarchy in place now so that everyone could try to concentrate on winning the Premier League and, if feasible, bringing home three trophies in Klopp’s final season.

However, the end of March and the beginning of April are also somewhat quieter, allowing new figures to have these discussions without any surprises. Because of the way Liverpool operates, I believe that by the time we reach mid- or late-April, they will be aware of their exact situation with players like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, and Salah, even if it is not made public.

In the forthcoming summer window, Saudi interest in the 31-year-old wide player is predicted to resurface with a fury.

Accept the Salah funds or support the shift?

A few supporters may be persuaded to take the millions and add to the transfer fund given to Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

Although we wouldn’t necessarily say that’s the wrong course of action, it’s definitely not one we’d choose.

In times of possible unrest after the departure of one of the most renowned and prosperous managers the team has ever had, transition should always be supported.

Jacobs, Salah, Klopp, and Liverpool
This season, Mo Salah has contributed 34 goals. (Image courtesy of Stu Forster/Getty Images))
Replacing Klopp is one thing, but having to replace two titans at the club is quite another.

While it’s true that players are always more interchangeable than managers, we would much rather see Salah stay on to help keep the ship afloat.

On X, Christian Falk has verified that Max Eberl and Roberto De Zerbi exchanged messages on the manager’s position at Bayern Munich.

The Bavarians are in discussions with other contenders in case Xabi Alonso turns down their offer.

With goals from Cisse and Torres, Liverpool Legends defeat Ajax.

The Brighton and Hove Albion manager is also seen as a favourite by Liverpool, as Richard Hughes once tried to sign him for Bournemouth.

EMPIRE of the Kop can be followed on Instagram at @empireofthekop.

Bayern and Xabi Alonso are not close.

Florian Plettenberg has stated that our former midfield player is bound for Bayern should he depart Leverkusen in the summer, but it appears that this scenario is unlikely to come to pass.

That’s not to say it’s not feasible, of course, but for the time being, we will continue to compete for the 42-year-old’s signature.

Alonso, Falk, and De Zerbi
Manager of Bayer Leverkusen Xabi Alonso (Image courtesy of Thomas Kienzle/AFP via Getty Images))
While some of Europe’s best teams are vying for Alonso’s services, the key question that still needs to be answered is where his mind is at.

When Carlo Ancelotti’s contract expires in 2026, is there a chance that managing Real Madrid will be an appealing prospect?

Virgil van Dijk was candid in his social media appraisal after Liverpool’s FA Cup loss against Manchester United on Sunday.

The Reds’ agonisingly painful cup match concluded in a 4-3 loss after they blew a 3-2 lead in extra time. The host team scored the game’s winning goal in the 121st minute.

Liverpool players breeze through their weight training

After the loss, the skipper took to Instagram to acknowledge that when assessing the outcome, he and his teammates can only look at themselves. He concluded with a defiant message for the final stretch before the international break.

“Only ourselves to blame, especially after how good we have been so far this season!” wrote Van Dijk on social media. When it’s time for the foreigners, we’ll return and give it our all.

With that evaluation, Liverpool’s captain is expressing the complete truth: after leading twice yesterday and dominating the second half of regular time but failing to capitalise, there is no way we should have ended up losing the FA Cup.

We all have to join hands when four goals are given up in one afternoon. It was especially frustrating when Cody Gakpo wasted a five-on-two breakaway while we were ahead 2-1. A score at that point would have probably ended the stalemate.

We’ve had a fun season so far thanks to the Reds’ winning mentality and game management, but we weren’t up to par at Old Trafford and performed below the team’s typical level.

However, as Van Dijk points out, the international break provides an opportunity to reflect, make preparations for the arduous stretch leading up to the end of May, and hope for no more injuries.

In addition to being evident in his social media statement, the captain’s elite mindset is evident on the pitch for the duration of the season, even in light of Sunday’s loss.

Even though he won’t likely be the only former Red on the market at the end of the season, Liverpool fans are still in mourning over the loss of Jurgen Klopp this summer.

“After eight months of absolute dedication and total commitment, but in which the team has not obtained the results expected by the club,” reads the report on rccelta.es about Rafael Benítez and his staff leaving RC Celta.

This revelation confirms that Rafa Benitez’s somewhat disappointing stint back in Spain is over, coming after Roy Hodgson’s resignation from Crystal Palace last month.

There are obviously concerns about Celta Vigo losing out on promotion, as they are now two points above the relegation zone in 17th place.

The 63-year-old would have been certain to retain Celta in La Liga, but he will not get the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities.

This is after the same man, who won the Champions League at Anfield in 2005, managed Everton to identical failure.

Given that the family of the former manager of Newcastle and Chelsea still resides on the Wirral in Merseyside, a return to the family home is now inevitable.

It will be intriguing to observe whether a coach who appears to be past his prime decides to return to the Premier League.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool is “considering” Xabi Alonso as a possible replacement for Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Since it was announced last Friday that the 56-year-old will be leaving at the end of the season, there has been a lot of discussion about who will replace him at Anfield, and the former Reds midfielder seems to be the early choice for the position.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the Italian reporter emphasised that nothing “concrete” has happened in that sense, but he gave further weight to the idea that the Bayer Leverkusen CEO will take the helm on Merseyside.

“They need a total rebuild,” stated Romano. There will be numerous changes at Liverpool, including the need for a new member of the board, a new manager, and new employees.

“Xabi Alonso is definitely a candidate they are considering, based on what I’m hearing. As of right now, no firm discussions exist, therefore it’s too soon to declare whether Xabi Alonso will take over as Liverpool’s manager. However, he is undoubtedly a contender.

Alonso was arguably already one of the front-runners to succeed Klopp in the eyes of most Liverpool supporters, but it gains further weight after hearing the always-dependable Romano name the 42-year-old as a contender.

Not only are his Leverkusen team leading the Bundesliga and posing a danger to Bayern Munich’s 11-year dominance over the title, but they have also won 79% of their league games, are undefeated after 19 games, and have only dropped eight points so far this season (Transfermarkt).

He has established himself as a manager who is tactfully adaptable, meticulous and hands-on in his coaching, friendly with players, and endowed with a natural authority (BBC Sport).

All of those qualities make him the perfect person to take on the difficult task of replacing Klopp at Liverpool, and that’s before we even discuss the extra support he would have from the supporters after an incredible five years as a player at Anfield.

The Spaniard is one of the top candidates for manager, and with good reason. However, it may take some time before Reds executives take official action to try to get him back to Merseyside.

The question of who will lead Liverpool instead of Jurgen Klopp will undoubtedly remain unanswered until the summer.

The German’s news on Friday that he would be departing Liverpool at the end of the season shocked both English and European football.

Van Dijk when Klopp told the Liverpool players he was leaving

Due to Klopp’s departure, there has been much speculation regarding his replacement, which has recently stoked the gossip mill.

Xabi Alonso, a former Reds midfielder, is one of the names being mentioned as an early favourite. The Spaniard’s outstanding performance at Bayer Leverkusen this season has him on the list of players FSG is examining.

The Telegraph claims that Bayern Munich might ruin Liverpool’s hopes of acquiring Alonso.

According to the Telegraph article, Klopp’s dismissal might be the start of a chain reaction in management.

Bayer Leuchten Xabi AlonsoAdditionally, because Xavi left Barcelona, one of the biggest teams in the world is currently looking for a new manager.
Bayern Munich’s interest in Alonso, however, is what may potentially really thwart Liverpool’s plans. According to reports, the Spaniard is among the German powerhouses’ possible successors in the case that Thomas Tuchel decides to step down.

Even if Liverpool isn’t mentioned in regard to him, former Chelsea manager Tuchel is also being linked to a return to England.

It seems that Liverpool will have to move quickly to make the appointment before Bayern moves in order to acquire Alonso.

From 2014 to 2017, Alonso, who is presently leading Leverkusen in the Bundesliga rankings, was a member of Bayern Munich.

According to reports, Barcelona president Joan Laporta is prepared to take a serious risk and work extremely hard to persuade Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, to take on the role of Xavi’s replacement at the Nou Camp the next season.

The German tactician’s statements that he’s exhausted seem to strongly imply that Klopp will be taking a sabbatical from football rather than going on to another position right immediately. Klopp just revealed that he will be leaving his position as Reds manager at the end of the current campaign.

Get your Carabao Cup Final tickets here: Liverpool vs. Chelsea!

However, Laporta would be eager to try convincing Klopp to reconsider taking a break and see if he could replace Xavi, who has also recently announced that he will be leaving his current position at the end of this campaign, according to Spanish publication AS, which was cited and translated by Sport Witness.

Given that Klopp is about to be divorced and has an excellent track record at both Liverpool and his former team, Borussia Dortmund, it makes natural that a premier league team like Barcelona would be interested in signing him.

Liverpool’s Crystal Palace Jurgen Klopp 202324
Barcelona to get Jurgen Klopp?

Although Klopp’s football philosophy would undoubtedly make him a fantastic fit for Barcelona, other well-known candidates will undoubtedly be considered for the position as well.

Mikel Arteta of Arsenal is reportedly another contender, according to Gerard Romero, and Fabrizio Romano has mentioned players like Xabi Alonso and Roberto De Zerbi.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is being considered for a new contract by Liverpool.

Liverpool has reportedly initiated talks with the 25-year-old England international’s camp about a contract extension and has made it a priority to lock him down to a new agreement, according to Graeme Bailey via HITC. According to the report, Liverpool is optimistic about reaching a final agreement.

The top five contenders to succeed Jürgen Klopp

Alexander-Arnold, 25, is a vital member of the team and has established himself as one of the top players in the Premier League. It comes as no surprise that Liverpool wants to sign him to a long-term deal. It will be interesting to watch if everyone can reach a swift agreement.

Get your tickets for Liverpool vs. Chelsea here and see Klopp before he departs!

Due to his contract expiring in the summer of 2025, Alexander-Arnold will be a valuable member of the Liverpool team for a very long time. If they wish to regularly contend for major prizes, they will need to retain their finest players at the club.

In addition to his defensive prowess, Alexander-Arnold has made a name for himself on the squad with his leadership, vision, and inventiveness. Only Darwin Nunez has created more goals than the right back this season, with nine assists in all competitions.

After scoring, Trent Alexander-Arnold celebrates.

Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, has announced that he will be leaving the team at the end of the current campaign. It’s unclear how his choice will impact the important players’ prospects.

Before committing to the team for the long run, Alexander-Arnold may choose to wait and see where the team is going following Klopp’s exit.