“Madrid wanted me to cause a war at Liverpool" - Gerrard
The former Liverpool captain has divulged further details of Real Madrid's attempts to sign him.
It’s no secret that Steven Gerard came close to signing for Real Madrid on more than one occasion.
The Liverpool legend has often spoken of the offers he had from the Spanish club during his career, always maintaining that he has never regretted passing up the opportunity to play for Los Blancos.
However, speaking with former Liverpool team mate Jamie Carragher on The Greatest Game podcast, the former England midfielder revealed further details about Real Madrid’s approach as the LaLiga giants looked to snatch him from Liverpool.
“Madrid wanted me to cause a war at Liverpool to get out, that’s the only way that could have happened,” said Gerrard.
“The captain I remember you telling me about on the pitch. Raul – we beat them 4-0 and he said afterwards ‘will you join?’” added Carragher.
Gerard replied: “I’m not sure if it was a full tapping but there was some kind of little… There was a little bit of flirtation. It wasn’t major.”
Gerard: “imagine playing for Mourinho with Madrid”
The former Reds captain and current Rangers manager also recalled the controversies of 2005, when he had handed in a transfer request at Anfield while seriously pondering a move to Chelsea under Jose Mourinho, who also tried to sign him for Real Madrid some years later.
He added: “I think if all the Chelsea stuff didn’t happen and Mourinho, when he came for me around 2010, maybe a year or two, you look back and think: ‘imagine playing for Madrid for a year or two, imagine playing for Mourinho in the Champions League with Madrid, unbelievable experience’. But it didn’t happen.”