Hodgson happy as Gerrard stays a Red

LIVERPOOL manager Roy Hodgson hopes speculation about the future of Steven Gerrard will come to an end now the captain has publicly declared his commitment to his boyhood club.

The 30-year-old midfielder refused to talk about his future while he was at the World Cup in South Africa with England.

But on his first day of pre-season training yesterday Gerrard was keen to stress how much he is anticipating the coming campaign and playing alongside international team-mate and new signing Joe Cole.

“I made it clear that I simply needed to concentrate on the World Cup and then have a decent holiday with my family,” said the midfielder.

“I wanted the chance to meet Roy Hodgson privately and having done so, I’m very impressed with his plans for the future.

“I can’t wait for the new season to start. I know Joe well through the England set-up so it will be fantastic to play alongside him in a red shirt for Liverpool.”

And for Hodgson, who has met Gerrard only briefly after taking over from Rafael Benitez on July 1, that is exactly what he wanted to hear.

“It’s a great piece of news and, fingers crossed, the speculation about Steven will go away,” said the 62-year-old Englishman.

“The club has made no secret and I have made no secret that I came to work with people like Steven Gerrard, not to see him disappear before I get chance to work with him.

“It seems now with that commitment that this will happen. It gives everyone a boost, without question.’’

Gerrard, and vice-captain Jamie Carragher, played an influential role in persuading Cole to choose Liverpool ahead of Arsenal and Tottenham while they were all together on England duty.

“It is a great signing for us. I have seen first-hand just how good a player he is,” said Gerrard.

“I’ve told him what a great club this is and I’m sure Joe’s the sort of exciting talent our fans will love to see.”

With Gerrard’s public commitment, following so soon after Cole’s signing, next on the list of things to get done for Hodgson is to elicit a similar response from striker Fernando Torres.

Speculation about the World Cup winner’s future has been even more intense than that about Gerrard and although the Spain international is still on holiday nursing an adductor injury sustained in the final in South Africa, Hodgson has already spoken to him.

“I met Torres last Wednesday in Ibiza, albeit briefly,” said the manager.

“He told me the groin problem was not anything to worry about, it was something which would clear up with rest on holiday. We are hoping he will come back fit and well.”

Hodgson has not had such luck contacting midfielder Javier Mascherano, who is also on leave after the World Cup. The Reds boss has tried to call the Argentina captain but so far has heard nothing back.

Hodgson has tried to play down the significance of that but with a reunion with Benitez at Inter touted as an option, the 26-year-old may have an ulterior motive for not returning calls.

“It’s been exaggerated. I left him a message saying I did not expect him to call me back,” he said.

“All I wanted to do was contact him. If he had called back, it would have only been a small talk or chat.

“But that’s not important. What was important was for him to realise that I was looking forward to seeing him.’’

Meanwhile, Hodgson insists Cole chose to move to Anfield for football rather than financial reasons.

Much was made of the England international’s reported wage demands of £90,000 (€106,000) a week.

“I’m very pleased because any concern that it was going to turn into an auction all about money quickly disappeared after myself and (managing director) Christian Purslow had a long conversation with Joe,” said the Reds boss. “I’m pleased to say Joe has chosen Liverpool to come and play football — and not because of the money.”

Meanwhile Liverpool are close to adding another signing after agreeing a potential £5 million (€6m) deal with Rangers for Danny Wilson.

Liverpool have been tracking Wilson for several months and are now set to complete the transfer after the teenager was pulled out of the Rangers squad that set off on a pre-season tour of Australia last night.

Rangers chief executive Martin Bain told the club’s website: “We have agreed a deal in principle with Liverpool for the transfer of Danny Wilson.

“Liverpool’s offer will see the club receive £2m (€2.3m) up front with add-ons linked to games played, taking the total value of the deal to £5m (€6m).’’