Legendary Gerrard to quit Liverpool at end of season

Liverpool legendary midfielder, Steven Gerrard has formally announced that he part ways with the club at the end of the season. The 35-year old former England captain is out of contract in the summer and has decided the time is right to seek a fresh challenge elsewhere. Breaking the news on Friday, Liverpool said in a tweet that: “LFC can confirm that Steven Gerrard is to leave the club at the end of the 2014-15 season.”

The English Premier League club also said in its official website that: “Gerrard will not retire from professional football at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season. No decision on his new club has been made yet, but he will continue his career outside the United Kingdom and at a side that will not bring him into direct competition with Liverpool.”

Gerrard was full of thanks for the club's manager, Brendan Rodgers. He also stated that “this has been the toughest decision of my life and one which both me and my family have agonised over for a good deal of time. “I am making the announcement now so that the manager and the team are not distracted by stories or speculation about my future. 

 “Liverpool Football Club has been such a huge part of all our lives for so long and saying goodbye is going to be difficult, but I feel it’s something that’s in the best interests of all involved, including my family and the club itself. “I’m going to carry on playing and although I can’t confirm at this stage where that will be, I can say it will be somewhere that means I won’t be playing for a competing club and will not therefore be lining up against Liverpool – that is something I could never contemplate.

“My decision is completely based on my wish to experience something different in my career and life and I also want to make sure that I have no regrets when my playing career is eventually over.”

He added: “It is a very special place to be part of. It is my sincere hope and wish that one day I can return to serve Liverpool again, in whatever capacity best helps the club.”

In reaction, Brendan Rodgers said “It is almost an impossible task to find the words to appropriately sum up Steven Gerrard and his importance to Liverpool. “This is an era where the word ‘legend’ is vastly overused, but in his case it actually doesn’t do him justice.”

The Liverpool Captain has enjoyed a trophy-laden career with the club and helped to inspire his team in one of the greatest come backs in the history of football at the 2003 Champions League final when Liverpool came from three goals down to draw 3-3 with AC Milan and later defeat the Italian giants on penalties. 'Captain Fantastic' will be greatly missed in the English Premier League.