New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson insists that he will not keep Steven Gerrard at the club under false pretenses.
Jose Mourinho named Gerrard as one of his top targets following his arrival at the Bernabeu but Hodgson hopes to convince the England vice-captain to stay with the club and remain a key part of his plans, but warned that he will not sugar-coat the ongoing issues at Anfield.
He said: "We can sit here and say all the right things, but it is actions Stevie wants, not words.
"He wants to see his club striding forward and signing players of a similar quality to himself to play alongside him.
"Of course, he is wise enough to know I cannot give him that guarantee and I wouldn't try and sell him a line like that. He would not respect me if I tried to give him some sort of [oops] line and would see through it right away.
"Where he is concerned, my job is to try and explain that I have come to Liverpool because I want to work with people like Steven Gerrard. I'm also hoping he will have enough loyalty to the club and be interested enough to work with me and see how it develops.
"It is a question of trying to sell myself and what I have in mind for him and hoping he buys into it. He knows he is the heart and soul of this club, alongside Jamie Carragher."They both know their importance to Liverpool. I can only hope that what I say to them and what they feel from the fans and the city and anyone around the club will play a part."
The Kop boss also revealed that he plans to meet with Fernando Torres upon his return from the World Cup in a bid to urge him to remain at Anfield.
I will have a conversation with Fernando as soon as possible," he added.
"It wouldn't be right to disturb his preparations for the quarter-final against Paraguay, but I'd like to meet him as soon as possible after the World Cup.
"I want to speak to him face to face and I'm hoping he may return to Spain for a day or two before going on holiday. It could be anywhere, but I'll be there, trying to impress on him why Anfield is the place to be."
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