The Anfield legend is expected to be unveiled as a youth coach with the Reds in the new year, with his appointment in no way related to Michael Beale's exit

Steven Gerrard’s return to Liverpool will not come in the capacity of the club’s Under-23 coach, but he is due to join the Academy in January.

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The 36-year-old is not being viewed as a replacement for Michael Beale, who is close to being unveiled as Sao Paulo’s assistant manager.

Instead, it is anticipated the Reds’ former captain, who called time on his playing career on November 24, will assume a floating position within the youth set-up to start with, although nothing has been signed and set in concrete yet.

Having held advanced talks with Liverpool before making his retirement announcement, Gerrard underlined his desire to learn and develop in the next phase of his career at Kirkby.

It is likely that his work with the club would dovetail with a function through the FA in England’s structures.

If Gerrard, who has been in attendance at Anfield for the 2-0 victories over Sunderland and Leeds, is to be put in charge of a team at Liverpool, it is expected he would oversee a younger age group as part of his own willingness to work his way up, as well as the Academy’s inclination to promote through the levels.

Jurgen Klopp also believes this is the correct approach. When the Reds boss was asked about Gerrard’s next move, he stated: “Maybe you can help make more English managers in England in the future if they can start working at the beginning, and not in the middle or the end.”

The Liverpool legend still has other offers to ponder, but all indications point to a return to his boyhood club in the new year.