• ‘Steven Gerrard is always so welcome,’ says Klopp after beating West Brom • ‘Nobody should be worried that we don’t have space for Steven Gerrard’

Jürgen Klopp has cleared the way for Steven Gerrard to return to Liverpool by announcing there will be a role for the club’s former captain at Anfield.

The 36-year-old appeared on Saturday to have announced the end of his LA Galaxy career with an Instagram message that read suspiciously like a goodbye to Los Angeles and the MLS club he joined in July last year. Gerrard wrote: “Living in Los Angeles and playing for the great Galaxy supporters has been a privilege. You have made this place feel like home to me. This city and this club will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you.”

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A return to Liverpool has always seemed inevitable for the Huyton-born midfielder, who spent 17 years at his boyhood club. That was dependent, however, on Klopp’s approval and the Liverpool manager’s ideas on how to accommodate the former England captain. He gave his blessing after Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat of West Bromwich Albion.

“Steven Gerrard – and this will be a really big surprise – is always so welcome at Liverpool FC,” said Klopp. “You cannot imagine how welcome so absolutely no problem, but everything we will talk to each other about will stay in these talks. That is how I know Stevie and that is how I am. Nobody should be worried that we don’t have space for Steven Gerrard. Everything will be fine, 100%.”

The Liverpool manager ruled out Gerrard returning in a playing capacity in January and, though the midfielder may wish to extend his playing career beyond LA Galaxy, he could be offered a coaching position at Anfield once his time in the United States is over.

LA Galaxy play their final game of the regular season on Sunday against FC Dallas. Gerrard’s team have already qualified for the MLS playoffs and will face a one-game play-in match in midweek to try to advance to the Western Conference semi-finals. The former Liverpool captain has been carrying an injury recently and returned to Melwood last week to continue his rehabilitation. He was at Anfield to watch Monday’s draw against Manchester United and has been in regular contact with Klopp since the former Borussia Dortmund coach arrived at Liverpool last October.