How Real Madrid would have lined up with Steven Gerrard as Liverpool legend confirms they were desperate for transfer
STEVE GERRARD has revealed he was “tapped up” by Real Madrid back in 2010.
The now-Rangers boss spent his entire career with Liverpool and will go down in history as one of the game’s best ever midfielders.
But he wasn’t short of interest from other clubs.
Perhaps the most famous, and controversial, was in 2005 when he handed in a transfer request and seriously considered joining rivals Chelsea.
But that move never came off, and Liverpool soon realised how important Stevie G was to their long-term plans.
But speaking on The Greatest Game podcast, the 29-year-old revealed that Real Madrid wanted him to “cause a war” in a bid to force a move to the Bernabeu.
TOLD TO ‘CAUSE A WAR’
Gerrard said: “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.
“Madrid wanted me to cause a war at Liverpool to get out, that’s the only way that could have happened.”
If Gerrard had have joined Mourinho at Real 10 years ago, it would have been an impressive team of Galacticos.
He would have likely partnered Xabi Alonso as the deep lying midfielders.
In front of him would have been Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria – sure to be enough supply for frontman Gonzalo Higuain.
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The legendary Iker Casillas was the keeper, with a back four consisting of Sergio Ramos, Ricardo Carvalho, Pepe and Marcelo.
But Gerrard chose to stick around at Anfield – and promptly became a club legend.
He added: “‘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.”