Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard has confessed he found it incredibly difficult to resist the allure of Jose Mourinho, who repeatedly tried to sign him for Chelsea during a pivotal period in his career.
The Temptation of Stamford Bridge
The former England captain, now 45, admitted he was 'guilty of flirting' with the idea of joining the Blues. This came after Mourinho, during his first spell as Chelsea manager between 2004 and 2007, made no secret of his desire to bring the Anfield skipper to London.
Gerrard's revelation came during a recent interview with TNT Sports pundit Ally McCoist. He described the moment he first learned of Chelsea's serious interest. "A phone number on my phone that I didn't recognise," Gerrard recalled. "I called it back and it was Jose Mourinho."
Mourinho's Persuasive Power and Rafa's Doubts
Gerrard highlighted the magnetic pull of the Portuguese coach, who was then considered one of the world's elite managers. "Mourinho comes on the phone... and when he speaks to you, his convincing skills and people skills were high level," Gerrard explained. "It was tempting, of course it was." The financial offer was reportedly double his Liverpool salary, but Gerrard's concerns were about his sporting future and his place in the England team.
Complicating matters was his relationship with then-Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez. Following the club's famous Champions League victory in Istanbul in 2005, Gerrard sensed a change. "I was getting a bit of a different feel from the club and a different feel from Rafa," he said. He described their relationship as strong on football but "very cold in terms of man management." Benitez even questioned Gerrard's commitment, asking if he was sure he wanted to stay amid rumours of interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Why Loyalty Ultimately Prevailed
Despite Mourinho's charm offensive, which extended to two further attempts to sign Gerrard while at Inter Milan and Real Madrid, the midfielder's bond with Liverpool proved stronger. He ultimately signed a new contract at Anfield in the summer of 2005.
Gerrard spent the vast majority of his glittering career at Liverpool, captaining the side to that historic European Cup win, another final in 2007, and securing two FA Cups and three League Cups. The one major honour that eluded him was the Premier League title. He finally left the club at age 34 in 2015 for LA Galaxy, retiring a year later.
Reflecting on the saga, Gerrard summarised the internal conflict. Mourinho's promise to make him "the main man" at Chelsea was a powerful lure, especially when contrasted with the doubts emanating from his own manager. In the end, however, his heart remained on Merseyside.
