Gerarrd's blunt response when Neville tried to convince him to join Man Utd

10 January 2024 , 10:24

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Gary Neville tried to convince Steven Gerrard to join Manchester United (Image: Getty Images)

Gary Neville has recalled the moment he tried to persuade Steven Gerrard to join Manchester United, but was instead "quite categorically" rejected by the ex-Liverpool midfielder.

Gerrard was the subject of several approaches from Sir Alex Ferguson's United across his career, including one during an England camp when Neville went into his room and attempted to convince him to sign for the Red Devils. According to Neville, the incident occurred in 2004 as Gerrard was about to hit mid-20s at Liverpool.

However, Gerrard turned down United's interest in him as he stayed at his boyhood club. This was a similar theme throughout his career as Chelsea and Real Madrid were amongst the others interested. During his time at Liverpool, Gerrard scored 190 goals in 749 appearances, winning several major honours.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, Neville said: "I have just remembered when Sir Alex asked me.. when I went into his [Gerrard’s] room with England and asked him to sign for United. I felt as though it was a bit of a hopeless [case].

"What would it have been, 2004? He was close to going to Chelsea and Sir Alex rang me and said he's anxious. I think his words were 'Tell him I'll fetch him and take him back down the East Lancs and bring him back'. I went to see Stevie and he was quite categoric quite quickly! He said 'Seriously, I wouldn't get out of Liverpool and my family would never get out of Liverpool'. Those were his exact words to me."

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That wasn't the only time United wanted to sign Gerrard. Back when the former England international was 13, United tried to sign him. "I went on trial at Manchester United when I was 13 and had a letter from them wanting to sign me on a seven-year-deal," Gerrard told BT Sport in 2013.

Steven Gerrard made 749 appearances for Liverpool (Getty Images)

"I’m a huge fan of Alex Ferguson and what he’s done in the game is fantastic, that’s the reason why he’s sold that many copies in the first week, I was generally a little bit gutted when I read that, the reaction of the papers, when he said I wasn’t a top, top player. But I won’t lose sleep over it, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

"He tried to sign me in early 2002/03, he tried to sign me again to play for United, I obviously refused, so I can’t really take it to heart too much. But I’m a bit gutted because I’m a big fan of his."

Kieran King