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Rio Ferdinand slams Liverpool for not showing 'local lad' Steven Gerrard 'loyalty' at the end of his career after the Reds legend rejected 'OBSCENE' offer from Chelsea in favour of staying at Anfield a decade earlier

Rio Ferdinand has blasted Liverpool for a lack of loyalty towards Steven Gerrard at the end of his playing career.

Gerrard, a boyhood Reds fan, joined the club at the age of nine and made 710 appearances over a 17-year professional career at Anfield - only Ian Callaghan and Jamie Carragher have made more.

Things could have been very different though. The midfielder came close to joining Chelsea in the summer of 2005, having told Liverpool he wanted to leave following intense interest from the Blues.

Rio Ferdinand says Liverpool did not show loyalty to Steven Gerrard at the end of his career

But of course that move never happened as Gerrard ended up signing a new contract on Merseyside and became a club legend.