Jurgen Klopp has intimated that Liverpool would sign Steven Gerrard back on a playing basis if the opportunity presented itself, but not on loan.
The German has allowed Gerrard to train at Melwood with his young squad during the MLS off season, with our former skipper keen to maintain fitness during LA Galaxy’s break.
Klopp’s been mightily impressed with the legend’s attitude and reckons Liverpool would take him back if possible – although doesn’t reckon a loan deal is on the cards.
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“The players have to fill the gap,” the Reds boss told Sky Sports News HQ. “It’s a big task. They try but they’re young. That’s not an excuse, I’m just describing the situation. That’s what we’re working on.”
“We [Klopp & Gerrard] spoke about many things but it’s not for the public.
“I’m an optimistic guy, but he has a contract. Definitely not a loan spell now, but we will do it if we can.”
Back in October when news first broke that Gerrard would come back to Melwood, Klopp denied that we’d sign him back, but it appears he’s maybe changed his tune.
“He’s a Liverpool legend, of course, but his contract as I know is in the USA,” he told the Guardian.
“But now his break starts and I told him: ‘When you are here, of course you can come whenever you want, you can train with us if you think it is good for you.’
“Of course our doors are always open for him, that is clear. But nothing else.”
If a loan deal is an impossibility, any other type of transfer surely would be too. Gerrard’s settled in America with a contract, and we cannot imagine the club would pay a transfer fee for a player they allowed to leave on a free.
We think it’s best to take these Klopp quotes with a pinch of salt. ‘We will do it if we can,’ seems more fantastical to us, suggesting that only in a perfect world Gerrard could return. Sadly, we do not live in one!