Chelsea & Real in Gerrard battle
Gerrard's career statistics
Chelsea and Real Madrid appear to be ready for a bidding war over Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.
The 25-year-old seems set to leave Anfield after his agents broke off from talks over a new contract and said negotiations would not be re-opened.
Newspapers claimed on Tuesday that Chelsea had made a £32m offer - which would be a new British record.
Real confirmed their interest - while Liverpool are said to have responded by making Gerrard a offer to stay.
The Reds reportedly offered their captain a two-year extension to his current deal, which has two years left to run anyway, on a salary of £100,000 per week.
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However, it is thought there is still a rift between Gerrard and his boyhood club over the way contract negotiations have been handled, despite fresh talks on Monday.
Chelsea's offer, if true, would previous British record buy, which was set at £29.1m when Manchester United bought Rio Ferdinand from Leeds in 2002.
But the feeling in Spain has always been that Gerrard would not leave Liverpool for another English club - which has encouraged Real.
Bernabeu director of football Arrigo Sacchi said on Monday: "Of course we are interested in him, what big club isn't?"
But Sacchi suggested Gerrard would have to hand in a formal transfer request first.
"Until the player makes a move we are not going to be involved in a fight for his services."
Sacchi also rubbished rumours that Real and Chelsea had a deal aimed at keeping the price for Gerrard down.
He said: "We have no agreement with Chelsea. How could we when our clubs are always interested in the same players?"
According to newspaper reports, Gerrard currently earns £60,000 per week at Anfield. It is claimed Real will pay him up to £130,000 per week with Chelsea going no higher than £90,000.
Liverpool open their defence of the Champions League crown, with a qualifier against Welsh side TNS on 13 July.
If he plays in that match he would be ineligible to turn out for any other side in the competition.
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