Intro:

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers discusses captain Steven Gerrard moving to the United States at the end of the season.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English) Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool manager:

(on how he discovered Steven Gerrard's decision to leave the club)

"I've been in conversation for quite a while with Steven and had an idea of his feelings toward moving forward, but he'd always been really respectful in terms of, once he'd made his final decision, that he wanted me to know first. And in fairness to him, we had a chat a few days before the announcement was made, so I've been fully aware all the way along. I think he's someone who deserves the upmost respect, and that's why I said in one of the last press conferences, at the time when we were talking, that what the guy has done in the game and how he is as a person, he deserves that time to make his decision. And the decision's purely at this time for him and his family, you know, he's been an iconic figure here at the club, and always will be. And over time there'll be an opportunity, you know, for him to come back here for sure, but at this moment of time in his life the chance to experience something different for him, when that time comes at the end of the season and, as I said, we... you know, at that time then, will, obviously, that'll bring an end to his Liverpool career as a player."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool manager:

(on whether Liverpool would endeavour to loan Gerrard back at the end of the MLS season in spring 2016)

"Well, I'm sure you (the media) are on all the different scenarios between now and the end of the season. I think the focus is he's still very much a player in the now, you know, he's been a fantastic player for me in my time here, and we've still got the second part of the season to come with some really exciting games, and he wants to be a part of what we're trying to do here in terms of finishing as high (in the table) as we possibly can and delivering a trophy. So, beyond that I'm not really thinking about it."