Liverpool boss seeks Gerrard assurances over Real Madrid

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez will hold crunch talks with skipper Steven Gerrard today about speculation linking him with Real Madrid.

The big Spanish dailies insist Gerrard is the midfielder Real president Florentino Perez is determined to sign for next season and the player's representatives, SFX, have already been sounded out.

AS says Benitez is concerned with the link between SFX and Real, as the Madrid giants' English trio, David Beckham, Michael Owen and Jonathan Woodgate have all been represented by the agency.

The Liverpool manager will speak with Gerrard today, upon his return from international duty, to discuss his plans beyond the end of this season.