Grant: Gerrard my dream signing
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Avram Grant admits that Steven Gerrard is the player he admires most in the Premier League - and says he "would love to sign" the midfielder.
The Chelsea boss believes that the Liverpool skipper should walk away with the PFA and European Player of the Year awards this season, and has revealed that he would love to take the England international to Stamford Bridge.
Gerrard came close to joining the Blues on two occasions when Grant's predecessor Jose Mourinho was in charge of the West London club, but eventually decided to stay with his hometown club.
Grant feels that the Reds midfielder has become an even better player since then after being given the licence to roam behind Spanish striker Fernando Torres and insists that it is Gerrard, not Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, who can now rightfully claim to be the best player in Europe.
"Gerrard is a great player and a great person," the Blues manager told the News of the World.
"For me he is the player of the year in England and maybe in Europe because of the influence he has on the team.
"He's very good, I like him very much as a player. And I know him, he is a nice guy, a positive guy and he is an example for many people.
"Unfortunately he plays against me, not with me, but he is still my favourite player.
"I'm not surprised he is playing up front with Fernando Torres now because I think he can play in many positions.
"In that position he probably feels more free. Tactically, it's not easy to play against this position."
With a rumoured £100million transfer budget set to be made available by club owner Roman Abramovich this summer, Grant admits that, if he became available, Gerrard would be his number one target.
"If you can bring him to me I will be happy," he said.
The under-fire coach will come face-to-face with Gerrard on Tuesday when Chelsea travel to Anfield for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final.
It is the third time in four years that the two sides have met at this stage of the competition, and Grant is confident that he can go one better that Mourinho and take the Blues to their first final.
"The last games were too tactical," he said.
"I think that football needs to be tactical but not too tactical.
"You need freedom to play. Football goes two steps when people start to talk of details but now we need the next step, to give players the freedom to think because they have the responsibility they didn't have 10 years ago.
"So I am trying with my team to give them the freedom to think with responsibility."
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Mind games ahead of the Liverpool clash
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Originally posted by Trump_Card:
Mind games ahead of the Liverpool clash
agree
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Do a honest team like Chelsea really need a diver like Gerrard?
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yes, in his dreams.
and yes, chelsea is full of divers already. quite enough.
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Originally posted by ronaldog:
Do a honest team like Chelsea really need a diver like Gerrard?
Lol you hypocrite ... Don't tell me players like Drogba and Joe Cole don't dive
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Grant should pray to keep his job 1st than saying who is his dream player...
noob
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Originally posted by ronaldog:
Do a honest team like Chelsea really need a diver like Gerrard?
And what's your problem with Liverpool? -
cheap mind game...