LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom — Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has revealed why he turned down opportunities to join Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich during his playing career, maintaining that he has no regrets about remaining loyal to his boyhood club.

The 46-year-old former England midfielder made the revelation during an appearance on The Overlap Daily podcast, where he reflected on the transfer interest he attracted from some of Europe's most successful clubs.

Gerrard explained that much of the interest from abroad came through Portuguese manager José Mourinho, who attempted to bring him to Inter Milan and Real Madrid during his managerial spells at the two clubs.

The former Liverpool captain also disclosed that Bayern Munich explored the possibility of signing him towards the end of his Anfield career, particularly around the time German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger was preparing to leave the Bundesliga giants in 2015.

Despite the attention from Europe's elite, Gerrard said his attachment to Liverpool made the prospect of leaving England difficult to consider.

“I wasn’t really that interested in it because I was never going to leave Liverpool at the time,” he explained.

The former midfielder added that he was enjoying his football under Brendan Rodgers when the Bayern Munich interest emerged, leaving him with little desire to pursue a move to Germany.

Gerrard acknowledged that being linked with clubs of such international standing was flattering, particularly given their history of competing for major domestic and European honours.

However, he maintained that remaining at Liverpool was a decision he made willingly rather than one he now views as a missed opportunity.

The former England international admitted that watching players such as Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid and Harry Kane at Bayern Munich occasionally prompted him to reflect on how his career might have unfolded had he accepted an offer from a foreign club.

Both players have enjoyed success outside English football, highlighting the opportunities available to leading Premier League stars who pursue careers abroad.

Nevertheless, Gerrard insisted that those reflections had not changed his feelings about the decisions he made.

“But I have no regrets in terms of the decisions I made. No regrets,” he said.

Gerrard spent 17 seasons in Liverpool's first team between 1998 and 2015, making 710 appearances and scoring 186 goals across all competitions.

He became one of the most influential figures in the club's modern history, captaining Liverpool to their unforgettable UEFA Champions League triumph in 2005.

The victory, secured against AC Milan in Istanbul, remains one of the defining moments of his career after Liverpool overturned a three-goal half-time deficit before winning on penalties.

Gerrard also helped Liverpool secure two FA Cups, three League Cups, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup during his time at Anfield.

Despite his success, he never won the Premier League title, a notable omission from an otherwise distinguished playing career.

He eventually departed Liverpool in 2015 to join Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy, bringing an end to his long association with the Reds as a player.

Gerrard retired from professional football in 2016 before moving into management, where he enjoyed significant success with Scottish club Rangers.

He guided Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title in the 2020–21 season, ending Celtic's run of nine consecutive league championships.

The former midfielder subsequently managed Aston Villa in the Premier League before moving to Saudi Arabia to take charge of Al-Ettifaq.

He has been without a managerial appointment since leaving the Saudi Pro League club in January 2025.

Although his playing career could have taken him to Spain, Italy or Germany, Gerrard's latest comments underline the importance he placed on representing Liverpool throughout his prime years.

For the former captain, the opportunity to remain at Anfield and build his legacy with the club he supported growing up outweighed the attraction of joining Europe's other football powerhouses.

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