Ferdinand slams Liverpool for lack of 'loyalty' towards Gerrard

Rio Ferdinand has blasted Liverpool for a lack of loyalty towards Steven Gerrard at the end of his playing career. 

Gerrard, a boyhood Reds fan, joined the club at the age of nine and made 710 appearances over a 17-year professional career at Anfield - only Ian Callaghan and Jamie Carragher have made more. 

Things could have been very different though. The midfielder came close to joining Chelsea in the summer of 2005, having told Liverpool he wanted to leave following intense interest from the Blues. 

But of course that move never happened as Gerrard ended up signing a new contract on Merseyside and became a club legend. 

Speaking on his FIVE podcast, Ferdinand criticised Liverpool for not repaying that loyalty a decade down the line. 

'Let's look at the Steven Gerrard case, he's been loyal to them,' the former defender said. 'He had obscene offers probably from Chelsea, they courted him, they tried every which way they could through players, and what not trying to get him and unsettle him. 

'He became unsettled, flirted with the idea a little bit, but actually, loyalty probably made him stay at Liverpool. Whatever happened, he was courted by Chelsea. He decides to stay, and then he gets towards the end of his career and the club don't want to give him a new deal.'

Gerrard eventually left Liverpool to join MLS side LA Galaxy in 2015, after a new contract at Liverpool was not forthcoming.

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The midfielder was 34 at the time and had retired from international duty with England to concentrate on his club career. But the Reds were looking to the future under Brendan Rodgers and planned to reduce Gerrard's game time, which convinced him to