Steven Gerrard Rumors: LA Galaxy Wanted Different English Star, Liverpool Great Was Backup Plan


As former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard landed in Los Angeles Saturday to begin preparations for his debut with the LA Galaxy in July, rumors surfaced saying that one of the greatest players in the history of the club that ranks among the most storied in England was not, in fact, the Galaxy’s prime target when the team tried to recruit a new designated player.

Galaxy Manager Bruce Arena appeared to confirm those rumors Friday, in an interview with Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper, when he said that 37-year-old former Chelsea and England star Frank Lampard was the player he really wanted.

“We recruited Frank pretty hard here. The deal was close,” Arena told The Mirror. “We talk to pretty much every single player that is interested in coming to the U.S. and certainly when you hear Frank Lampard is willing, you’re gonna have a lengthy conversation.”

Instead, Lampard will play for the Major League Soccer expansion franchise New York City FC, a team co-owned by the English Premier League Manchester City club. After leaving Chelsea after the 2013-2014 season, Lampard joined Manchester City to finish his English career.

Lampard was originally supposed to join NYCFC at the start of the 2015 season, but controversy over the status of his contract led to his finishing out the Premier League season with Manchester City, appearing in 22 games.

Lampard has since traveled to New York and was present at Sunday’s game in Yankees Stadium between NYCFC and their rivals, the New York Red Bulls.

“I got to know Frank and visited him in London and he’s a fabulous person and player and he’s really going to help football here in America,” Arena commented. “He’s going to do really well.”

Whether the revelation that he was, in fact, Plan B for the Galaxy will affect Gerrard will not become clear for some time. But when he landed at Los Angeles International Airport Saturday, he appeared relaxed, accompanied by his wife, 32-year-old model Alex Curran, as he was welcomed by press and paparazzi — the same as most major celebrities who fly into LAX airport.

The summer transfer window officially opens on July 8, at which time Gerrard will be allowed to become an official LA Galaxy player.

Earlier this week, the 34-year-old Gerrard revealed that his difficult decision to depart the only football club he has ever known was pushed over the edge when Liverpool Manager Brendan Rodgers dropped him from the lineup for a game against Real Madrid.

“It was Real Madrid and I wanted to play. When I was told I wasn’t playing for the sake of the team and the squad and my relationship with Brendan, I took it and I accepted it,” Steven Gerrard told BT Sport. “It sort of pushed me more towards making the decision to move on and try something different.”

[Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images]

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