[lfc-news] Rafa confident Gerrard will stay - PA

PA Sport, 19 June 2005
RAFA CONFIDENT GERRARD WILL STAY

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is confident the club can defy Real
Madrid and hang on to star midfielder Steven Gerrard.

Gerrard, 25, has been linked with Real in recent weeks after seeing his
standing rise following his role in Liverpool's victory in the Champions
League final.

However, Benitez told Spanish paper Diario AS that he was planning to
keep Gerrard at Anfield.

He said: "We are preparing a special weightlifting plan for Gerrard's
shoulders because we want him to lift a lot of trophies for Liverpool in
the next few years.

"I am not in favour of selling him and we are building a great team
around him because we want him to be the skipper who wins the most
titles in Liverpool's history.

"I know he feels the same way because we have already talked about it.

"Gerrard is a vital player for us and that is why we have not considered
selling him."

Benitez revealed that last year he had persuaded Gerrard to stay at
Anfield - at the time it was reported that Chelsea were interested in
acquiring the player.

Benitez said: "He had important offers last year but I wanted him to
stay with Liverpool and he stayed with us - that was rewarded with us
winning a big competition and it's our wish to carry on on the same road
with him."

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