Baffled Benitez pleads with Gerrard

Stunned Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez pointed to the Champions League trophy and four new signings and told Steven Gerrard to keep his side of their bargain by committing his future to Anfield.

Reds officials have been amazed by weekend reports highlighting the strength of Gerrard’s resentment over the current contract impasse, claiming they have no idea what has triggered their captain’s anger.

After learning Gerrard’s agent Struan Marshall had publicly confirmed contract negotiations had stalled and were "unlikely to re-open", Benitez, backed by chief executive Rick Parry, went on the counter offensive.

Highlighting the three previous failed attempts to open negotiations with Gerrard, the former Valencia coach then stated his assertion that Liverpool had delivered on their promises.

So, with a major trophy in the bag and his squad already strengthened and improved, Benitez will now attempt a salvage operation aimed at staving off the attentions of Real Madrid and Chelsea by keeping the England midfielder at Anfield for life.

“Three times last season we tried to talk with Steven about a new deal and each time he said we needed to wait,” said Benitez.

“We spoke about trophies; we won the Champions League. We spoke about improving the team; we have signed the best goalkeeper in Spain, Middlesbrough’s best player and the best player in Chile, so we are improving the team.

“I can assure all fans we want Steve to stay with us next season and maybe all his life.

“In the future, if I decide to leave, I can see him as assistant manager, chief scoutor even the manager. We want him to stay and will try until the end.”

The pay-off line suggests Benitez is fighting a losing battle, a situation which would turn May’s epic Champions League final victory over AC Milan into Gerrard’s last match for the club.

Conspiracy theories abound as to how the relationship between player and club deteriorated so rapidly, or how what Liverpool felt was a cordial initial first meeting over Gerrard’s new contract last Wednesday could trigger such discontent.

The 25-year-old Huyton-born star made his exit from Liverpool’s training complex at Melwood shortly after midday today, less than an hour before Benitez introduced Dutchman Boudewijn Zenden as the first new arrival of the summer.

Benitez also confirmed Villarreal goalkeeper Jose Reina, Chile international Mark Gonzales and Sevilla full-back Antonio Barragan from Sevilla had also been recruited.

The manager sees the new additions, and the likelihood of more to come, as proof he is delivering on his promise to make Liverpool more competitive in the Premiership.

However Gerrard does not believe Benitez wants him any more, citing a failure to instigate talks immediately after the sensational comeback in Istanbul as evidence the club are attempting to engineer his departure.

Those thoughts only intensified when, instead of making Gerrard an offer, Parry turned up for talks last Wednesday and asked Marshall what terms his client was looking for.

“Rafa wants Steven to stay and he could not have made that any clearer,” said Parry told the Liverpool Echo.

“We are completely surprised by the reports this morning having made it clear since January we wanted to talk to Steven about a new contract.

“For anyone to make an issue of a delay of just a few days does not make sense. When we met on Wednesday things were fine.

“We have wanted to keep Steven all along. There has never been any suggestion e want to sell him.

“Money is not an issue. There are no financial concerns regarding Steven’s contract, so any suggestion to the contrary is wrong.”

With two years left to run on his present deal, Gerrard knows Liverpool could cling on to their most lucrative asset for another six months before his transfer value really starts to plummet.

However, with officials in Madrid and Stamford Bridge monitoring the situation, a more speedy resolution seems likely.

If Gerrard’s future has not been decided by then, a major key to the saga’s outcome will come next Wednesday when Benitez’s men begin the defence of their crown against Welsh minnows Total Network Solutions at Anfield.

Should Gerrard play, it would cup-tie him for all European competition this season, almost certainly discouraging Real or Chelsea from making a move.

In the more likely event he is not part of Benitez’s squad, the door would be left open for an exit few Liverpool fans could have believed would be possible as they celebrated by the Bosphorus just six weeks ago.