Torres and Gerrard not for sale vows Hodgson

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson insists Spain striker Fernando Torres and England midfielder Steven Gerrard will not be allowed to leave Anfield.

Hodgson had admitted earlier this week that some of Livepool’s star players were “disenchanted” following their seventh place finish in the Premier League last season.

Torres is reported to be unsettled following the departure of Hodgson’s predecessor Rafael Benitez and has been linked with a 70 million pounds move to Chelsea, while Manchester City and Barcelona are also reported to be interested.

But Hodgson met Torres, who is currently sidelined with a groin tear, before jetting off to Switzerland for Liverpool’s pre-season tour and remains confident the 26-year-old will stay at the club this season.

“I have met with Fernando. I found him to be a very pleasant man and we had a nice conversation,” Hodgson said on Friday.

“As far as we are concerned he is a Liverpool player and we want him to remain a Liverpool player. He is not for sale and we don’t welcome any offers for him.

“We want to keep him. My conversation with him was only short because I had to leave to come to the training camp in Switzerland.

“We spoke about football, the World Cup, his injury, and I told him how much I am looking forward to working with him.

“Christian Purslow was also at the meeting and chatted to Fernando for a lot longer after I left but my chat with him was only about football matters.”

Hodgson has also made it clear to Liverpool captain Gerrard that he will not be sold at any price despite reports of a potential big-money bid from Real Madrid.

“I have met with Steven and thought the talks were positive,” Hodgson added.

“We are in a situation where we hear our players are being courted by other teams but it is all just rumours.

“What we haven’t had is a club wanting to buy Steven Gerrard. Steven Gerrard is not for sale – I made that clear to him.

“I told him I supported the club’s policy that we don’t want to sell our best players and have to start building again.

“We want to build our team around these players. He understands that position, but clubs can get into players’ ears and make promises. It destabilises the club and the players and we can’t do anything about it.”

Hodgson was less clear about the future of Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano, who has been named as potential target for Benitez’s new club Inter Milan.

He has been unable to contact Mascherano since Argentina’s exit from the World Cup and is still waiting for a call from the former West Ham player.

“I have tried to contact Javier. I have left him voice messages and sent him texts but had no reply,” Hodgson said.

“To be fair to him, that’s not unusual because he’s had a tough World Cup and I believe he’s gone back to Argentina.

“It’s not always easy to get in touch with people. I have tried to reach him to make clear I am happy to talk with him at his convenience.”