Owen makes surprise claim over when Liverpool wanted Gerrard out

Liverpool wanted to get rid of Steven Gerrard two years before he left the club to join LA Galaxy in 2015, according to Michael Owen.

Boyhood Liverpool fan Gerrard graduated from the club’s academy just after Owen, signing a pro deal at the club 11 months after Owen penned his.

Owen departed for LaLiga giants Real Madrid in 2004, with Gerrard resisting strong interest from Chelsea to remain at Anfield that summer.

Gerrard eventually left for LA Galaxy more than a decade later, but Owen believes the former Reds skipper was forced to depart for pastures new.

“In Steven’s case, I severely doubt whether he really wanted to go and play in the States in 2015,” Owen wrote in his new autobiography Reboot.

“I’ve heard that the club wanted him out two years prior to when he actually left.

“I’m sure he would rather have wound his career down at Liverpool, playing increasingly fewer games until he reached a point where he could be integrated into the coaching staff.

“This only happened later in his case. But instead, because he’d become so symbolic and so powerful, I believe he was forced out in the short term. Steven was bigger than the club.”

Read more: Bobby Duncan rejected the chance to join Manchester United in favour of Fiorentina as he ‘didn’t want to betray’ Liverpool, a report has claimed.

 

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