European giants are ready to bid for Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. The News of the World says Gerrard wants to know if the club are likely to find the resources to undergo another major overhaul of the squad before next season.

Although Gerrard will also have no shortage of admirers this summer - especially if he enjoys a sparkling World Cup - the England midfielder is loathe to go through the same experience as he did during his on-off moves to Chelsea.

But that will not stop a mega-bid from Real Madrid, Barcelona or Inter Milan - even though all three have been rejected by Gerrard during the last two years.

If the Liverpool captain feels his club will continue to be in the same catastrophic mess when he returns from South Africa, he might decide he has had enough.