Jurgen Klopp speaks to Steven Gerrard about Liverpool return - for training only

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has spoken to former captain Steven Gerrard about the prospect of him returning to the club, but only in regards to training.

The 35-year-old midfielder is currently in the Major League Soccer off-season after his summer move to the Los Angeles Galaxy.

It is believed Klopp is happy to honour the offer of being able to train at the club’s Melwood base made to Gerrard by former boss Brendan Rodgers when the 35-year-old left in May.

However, there has been no offer of a potential return to a playing role and, with Gerrard set to resume pre-season training in mid-January, there is no chance of a short-term loan, as the likes of David Beckham and Thierry Henry exploited during their time in the United States.

The prospect of Liverpool buying back their former talisman, who has one year remaining on his Galaxy contract, seem equally remote.

Gerrard himself has admitted he probably only has one year left of his playing career.

“It could be my last season as a footballer. I certainly don’t want to feel like I’m feeling right now come next year,” he told reporters in America last week.

“I’d love to go out on a high. It’s a long season, and I only came here for the last four months but I’ll certainly be better for the experience next year.”

There does remain a chance, however, he could end up back at Liverpool on the backroom staff in some capacity in the future.

The offer of a contract extension at Anfield was put to Gerrard just under a year ago, but he felt it had come too late and had already started making plans for his next challenge.

However, he subsequently admitted he would have stayed had he been offered a player-coach role to allow him to further his football education.

“What would have kept me at Liverpool into this season was the chance of shadowing Brendan Rodgers and his staff as well as playing – those ideas were only mentioned to me after I had announced I was leaving,” he said in September.

“I could have been a good squad player, a good sub, as well as getting management experience that money can’t buy.”

Naturally, even the hint of a possibility of Gerrard returning to Anfield triggered a feverish reaction from fans.

Although many more feel the situation should be left as it is now.