RAFAEL BENÍTEZ visited the England team hotel yesterday but if the new Liverpool manager’s intention was to persuade Steven Gerrard to stay at Anfield, he may have been wasting his breath. Chelsea have been unrelenting in their attempt to woo the midfield player and Gerrard is seriously considering a move to Stamford Bridge after the European Championship finals.
With the players allowed to spend time with friends and family yesterday after the 3-0 victory over Switzerland, Benítez went to the Solplay Hotel outside Lisbon with the intention of meeting Gerrard, Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher for the first time since he succeeded Gérard Houllier. While billed as a social visit, Benítez had a serious agenda. Liverpool are terrified of losing Owen, who has only a year left on his contract, and particularly Gerrard, who is being offered vast riches by Roman Abramovich.
The Chelsea owner has put the midfield player at the top of his wish list and the contract on offer is believed to be worth £125,000 a week, about double what Gerrard earns with Liverpool. Frustrated by his home-town club’s failure to keep up with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, Gerrard will make a decision on his future at the end of Euro 2004 but it is known that he is very tempted by the deal at Stamford Bridge.
Benítez will have hoped that he could impress Gerrard with talk of a bright future at Anfield and imminent new arrivals, though the departure yesterday of Phil Thompson, the assistant manager to Houllier, would have no doubt cropped up. There has been speculation that the former Valencia manager may bring some of his championship-winning side from the Mestalla, including Pablo Aimar, the Argentina attacking midfield player.
Liverpool would fight hard to keep their captain, who has three years left on his contract but, if Gerrard makes it clear that he wants to move, they would find it difficult to stand in his way if Chelsea break the British transfer record of £30 million.
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Should Gerrard move to London, Owen’s plans could also be thrown in the air. The striker has indicated that he would be willing to sign a new deal with Liverpool, if only for 12 months, but the loss of such an important team-mate would heighten concerns that the club is falling farther behind the top three.