Steven Gerrard confirms he'll leave England this summer

Steven Gerrard announced on Friday that he'll be leaving Liverpool at the end of the 2014/15 season, and with just 6 months remaining on his current contract, he's now free to begin negotiating with clubs outside of England. Here's the relevant bit from his statement:

"I'm going to carry on playing and although I can't confirm at this stage where that will be, I can say it will be somewhere that means I won't be playing for a competing club and will not therefore be lining up against Liverpool - that is something I could never contemplate."

"My decision is completely based on my wish to experience something different in my career and life and I also want to make sure that I have no regrets when my playing career is eventually over."

Gerrard was loosely linked to the Cosmos in 2014, though at best, the rumor was pretty hard to take seriously. That said, the most likely destination for Gerrard is now one of the bigger cities in the United States, and if the Cosmos have any interest in the player, it would certainly make the situation interesting.

That said, I'd be fairly surprised if the club actually had any interest in a player like Gerrard given the financial commitment it would take to bring him to New York, and the money they're likely already paying Raul Gonzalez. Instead, I'd expect the club to continue looking at more value-conscious moves, bringing in multiple players who would command smaller designated player salaries at MLS sides that most MLS clubs can't match under the current CBA.