Inter Milan lead race for £40m Gerrard

Mourinho has long been an admirer of Gerrard (GETTY IMAGES)

Jose Mourinho is once again lining up a sensational bid for Liverpool's £40m-rated talisman Steven Gerrard.

Inter Milan boss Mourinho came close to wrestling Gerrard away from Anfield in 2005 when in charge of Chelsea, only for the midfielder to have a last minute change of heart.

Now, according to Italian agent Claudio Pasqualin, Mourinho is working with the money men in Milan to put together a package to tempt Gerrard away from his home town club this summer.

And with Rafa Benitez admitting over the weekend that he may be forced to sell his prized assets if Liverpool fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League, Inter are preparing to take advantage of the Reds’ perilous financial state.

Pasqualin claims that a few major surprises are on the cards at the end of this season and that Inter are prepared to break the bank for Gerrard.

Inter have been all-conquering on the domestic front but have failed to really make their mark in the Champions’ League.

That is Mourinho’s ‘Holy Grail’ and it was the failure to bring the trophy to Stamford Bridge which ultimately led to his sacking.

“Teams are already working for the market in June and there will be surprises,” said Pasqualin. “Inter are working on the Steven Gerrard prospective given Liverpool’s economic difficulty.”

The news will alarm Benitez who claimed Liverpool may not be in a position to turn down that amount of cash if a club tried to grab his big names.

“If a club came in and offered a lot of money for a player then it would be about doing what is best for Liverpool,” said Benitez.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s move for Argentine international Maxi Rodriguez is expected to be completed this week.

Sourced from: The Belfast Telegraph