Gerrard deal urgent after UEFA verdict

Liverpool will look to hurry through negotiations on captain Steven Gerrard’s future before their next Champions League campaign begins in mid July.

If Gerrard has not signed the £100,000-a-week two-year contract extension by the time Liverpool play their European opener on July 12 or 13, they could face a re-run on the embarrassing Michael Owen saga from last season.

Owen sat on the bench throughout Liverpool’s opening third qualifying round match against Graz in Austria last August.

Had he set foot on the pitch it would have ruined his impending transfer to Real Madrid, leaving Owen cup-tied for European competition and thus slashing his value.

Gerrard has told Liverpool he will sign a new deal after captaining them to Champions League final glory in Istanbul last month.

But negotiations are unlikely to be concluded for a few weeks yet and that will put pressure on everybody concerned.

Liverpool have already reacted to speculation that Gerrard could still leave this summer by stating that talks are due to coincide with the start of pre-season training, and the timing is no longer an issue because of the player’s assurances.

Chief executive Rick Parry has only just returned from holiday, Rafael Benitez is back in Madrid, Gerrard is still away, and his agent Struan Marshall is on honeymoon.

Pre-season training for Liverpool starts on June 27 and Gerrard’s contract had not been considered a problem until today, with UEFA clearing the European champions to enter next season’s competition at the first qualifying round stage - despite them finishing only fifth in the Barclays Premiership last season.

Former Liverpool assistant manager Phil Thompson said: “I would like to think he has already made up his mind, he said as much after Istanbul.

“I spoke to him the day after and he was in ‘la-la land’.

“To be able to lift the trophy as a Liverpool fan was beyond his wildest dreams and I believe he has already made his decision to stay.”

Another former Anfield star, Alan Kennedy, added: “Steven will want to play in every game possible.

“If there is a big enough squad you should be able to rotate and that may well be the case for Liverpool this coming season.

“It is a massive incentive now for Steven to stay.

“He was tremendous in the Champions League final and a lot of clubs would like to buy him. He has just about everything, he’s the captain and maybe in the future even England’s captain.

“He has everything as a player and I hope he signs an extension to his contract. He has two years left anyway, so we must wait and see.

“But it’s not just about Steven, it’s about everyone else.

“They all turned in great performances in the final and now have to confirm that next season in the league.”