Real Madrid will better Chelsea's £32M bid for Liverpool's Gerrard

Real Madrid are ready to go to £35 million after Chelsea opened the bidding for Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard yesterday.

The Blues offered £32 million for the want-away midfielder, but failed to scare off Real Madrid, says the Mirror.
 
The Spaniards are ready to go to £35m and while Chelsea can beat them on the price, Real can offer Gerrard better personal terms because of their country's less punitive tax regime.

Moving to Madrid would earn Gerrard £160,000 a week - more than double his pay at Liverpool.

Chelsea are unlikely to be willing to go that high, particularly with Frank Lampard and John Terry having clauses in their contracts guaranteeing their wages would be raised to match any other players in the squad.

Both clubs were left with the impression Gerrard wants to join them. Real believe he would prefer to leave England if he walks out on Liverpool, while Chelsea understand Stamford Bridge would be his first choice.

Chief executive Peter Kenyon tabled Chelsea's bid - which would smash the £30m Manchester United paid Leeds for Rio Ferdinand - after a meeting with manager Jose Mourinho.

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry and chairman David Moores talked to Gerrard last night to try to arrange more talks and made him a new offer of around £100,000 a week.