Steven Gerrard Reveals Rejection of Champions League Club Last Summer

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard says he turned down an approach from a Champions League club last summer, with the Express suggesting his suitors may have been eventual Bundesliga and European champions Bayern Munich.

The 33-year-old Anfield captain and legend claims he rejected the unidentified club's advances because he wanted (and still wants) to bring European nights to the Merseyside club once again.

"I had a chance to move last year to a Champions League club. There was no temptation," the England international explained, ahead of a Liverpool-organised testimonial match in his honour.

The Merseyside club will face Greek side Olympiakos Piraeus at Anfield on Saturday evening, in a friendly dedicated to the midfielder. Gerrard has made over 600 appearances for the club in his career so far, racking up over 150 goals and, famously, a Champions League winners' medal.

The fact the testimonial is against Olympiakos is no accident, with Gerrard having scored a stunning late goal against the Greeks in December 2004, to seal progress from the group stages of the Champions League that season - the same season Liverpool produced an inspiring comeback to beat AC Milan in the final in Istanbul.

Gerrard's position as one of the finest central midfielders of his generation is reinforced by the fact that Bayern Munich, if indeed they were his suitors last summer, join a long list of European superpowers that have tried to sign him; the list includes Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Gerrard also spoke on more immediate concerns - the future of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez. The 26-year-old South American is heavily linked with Premier League rivals Arsenal. The Gunners have already made three bids, with the third exceeding £40m, according to the Guardian.

Suarez, who was earlier vocal about a move to Madrid and is now insistent he be allowed to talk to the Gunners, has been urged to stay on at Anfield, with Gerrard using his career as an example.

"That is the message for Luis. He will get many more chances to move on if that's what he wants to do. A player of his calibre should wait for the big ones to come. He deserves to maybe play in one of the best teams in world football - Barcelona and Real Madrid - and they will come calling for him," Gerrard said.