Steven Gerrard reveals he will NOT be a manager in Saudi Arabia after turning down an offer after visiting the Middle East
- Steven Gerrard was recently approached by a Saudi Pro League club
- He has revealed that he went to Saudi Arabia when he considered the offer
- However, he has decided not to accept the offer to manage in Saudi Arabia
Steven Gerrard has revealed he turned down the chance to become a manager in Saudi Arabia.
The Liverpool legend has been out of the dugout since last October after being sacked by Aston Villa.
A return to the sidelines appeared to be on the line after he was reportedly approached by Saudi Arabian team Al-Ettifaq, and Gerrard had been linked with a reunion with his former team-mate and player Philippe Coutinho at Central East.
However, Gerrard has now confirmed that he has chosen not to move to the oil-rich country.
Speaking on Channel 4 during their coverage of England’s 7-0 win over North Macedonia on Monday night, Gerrard said: ‘I was invited there to look at a possible bid, which I did.
Steven Gerrard has decided to turn down the chance to manage in Saudi Arabia
Gerrard has been out of management since being sacked by Aston Villa last year
“I’ve been analyzing that for the past few days. But as we stand now, I’m not going to accept that offer.’
Saudi Arabia has been luring some of the biggest names in the sport to their top division over the past six months, with Cristiano Ronaldo starting the trend when he joined Al-Nassr in December.
His ex-Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema has also decided to leave Europe after signing a lucrative deal with Al-Ittihad earlier this month.
A host of Chelsea players have also been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, with N’Golo Kante signing a deal to join Benzema at Al-Ittihad. Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are also receiving interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.
But Gerrard has resisted the temptation to follow in Ronaldo and co’s footsteps.
He was recently linked with Leicester’s job after the club’s relegation from the Premier League, but the Foxes chose Pep Guardiola’s assistant Enzo Maresca instead.
Gerrard’s wait to return to management continues, with it remaining unclear whether his next job will be in England or whether he will try his luck abroad.
Gerrard will not join the likes of Karim Benzema (pictured) in Saudi Arabia