Gerrard in shock Liverpool U-turn
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-06 19:36

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry said skipper Steven Gerrard had changed his mind and was staying with the club.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard kisses his winner's medal at the end of the Champions League final against AC Milan in May 2005. Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry said Gerrard had changed his mind and was staying with the club.[AFP]

Liverpool turned down a 32 million pound bid from Chelsea on Tuesday after which Gerrard said he wanted to leave.

But the club said on their website Wednesday that the England midfielder had now decided to stay at Anfield.

The Reds chief executive broke the amazing news as he arrived at Anfield following several late night and early morning phone calls with the Liverpool captain.

"I couldn't be more delighted," Parry told the Liverpool website.

"He has decided to stay with us because he realises how much the club means to him.

"Even when he said he was going I don't think the language he used suggested he really wanted to go. He was talking about the last few days being difficult and not being able to come back, he never actually said he wanted to go.

"Over the last 24 hours he has reflected on it, thought it through and he wants to stay."

Parry had rejected Chelsea's opening 32 million pound bid on Tuesday but the English champions, who almost signed Gerrard last year, had been expected to come back with an offer of 35 million pounds, which could have rises to almost 40 million pounds with additions.

"From our point of view it's what we wanted all along. I have apologised to Stevie if I've mis-read his emotions. I guess after Istanbul I thought I knew where we were going but he clearly thought for whatever reason that the club wasn't as enthusiastic about keeping him as we might have been. He was anxious.

"There were one or two issues with the contract which he took to mean a lack of enthusiasm on our part, which it wasn't. He understands that now. We've had some emotional moments together, cleared everything up and I don't think this will happen again.

"I don't think he's staying because he was concerned about the negative reaction. I made the point on Monday to him to think of the fans in Istanbul and ask himself how he could leave that. Obviously the last day or two hasn't been easy for him but this isn't a decision for negative reasons.

"He's found it complicated but deep down it was always a difficult decision for him to say he wanted to go. We're all absolutely thrilled and I'm more certain than ever that he's fully committed and that this is where he wants to be."

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