The worst kept secret in football is confirmed
It’s been on the cards since he announced he was leaving Liverpool at the end of the season but LA Galaxy have now confirmed that Steven Gerrard will be in California.
BREAKING: The #LAGalaxy have signed Steven Gerrard: http://t.co/6SETFNTE8M #StevieLAG pic.twitter.com/mwPMqwNOlS
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) January 7, 2015
Gerrard will be reunited with 2014 MLS Most Valuable Player Robbie Keane in LA after the two played together (briefly) at Liverpool in 2008-09.
Galaxy confirmed the news on their Twitter page with the curious hashtag #StevieLAG which, even at this early stage, we can safely say isn’t going to catch on.
‘Having spoken to the manager, Bruce Arena, and also the people above him, they’re very aggressive and want success and that’s what I want, and that’s how I want to finish my career. So they’re the reasons why I’ve chosen LA Galaxy.
‘Football’s my life and It will continue to be so for the next couple of years. I’m going over to win. And if I win and play well, then my life becomes more enjoyable.”
Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena had earlier spilled the beans to the LA Times.
‘Steven Gerrard arrives in July and by then we will certainly have a plan available,’
‘He’s a player of quality. I’m not concerned about how he’s going to fit in with our team.
‘We have a club now with a proven history of success. All those things go hand in hand in making LA Galaxy a very attractive team for players such as Steven Gerrard.’
Galaxy president Chris Klein said: ‘We just started thinking in the universe of players that are out there, we want to make a decision on what signifies a Galaxy-designated player.
‘When we look at that, Steven Gerrard is the perfect fit with what he brings to us on the field and the character that he has off it.’
The Guardian report that Gerrard will sign an 18-month deal worth $6 million per year – around half his current wages at Liverpool – though his salary is likely to be boosted by image rights and commercial deals.
Not bad if you can get.
