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Steven Gerrard has insisted there is no rift with boss Brendan Rodgers – as Liverpool revealed they have formally offered him a new contract.

Speculation has begun to intensify over the veteran midfielder’s future and there were reports he was considering signing a pre-contract with a foreign club in January.

Those claims though, have been dismissed as “rubbish” by both Rodgers and the player’s camp, and on Sunday Gerrard took the unusual step of personally reassuring fans there are no problems with Rodgers.

“Just to set the record straight, talk of a fall-out between us two is nonsense,” he wrote on his Instagram account, and followed it with #together #solid #ynwa.

A spokesman for the Anfield giants confirmed that a formal contract offer has now been made to the player, with the player’s agent currently looking closely at the terms.

Sources close to the player suggested on Sunday night that he is in no rush to sign a new deal, with a guarantee of a one-year rolling contract on the table.

Gerrard has always said he will wait and see how he feels as the season progresses before he commits himself to any new deal but the feeling from both him and Rodgers is that he can carry on for one or two more years, at least.

The Reds' boss has promised to manage Gerrard's game-time carefully from now on to ensure he extends his shelf-life at the top level.

Far from falling out with the player, Rodgers is pushing the club’s American owners to give the 34-year-old a new deal.

Steven Gerrard's career in pictures:

Gerrard is the top earner at Liverpool and it is understood he has been offered a year’s extension - on slightly adjusted terms.

His agent will push for a longer deal, suggesting a two-year option if the terms are to be reduced.

Negotiations will continue with both parties insisting on Sunday that they are perfectly comfortable with the situation.

A source close to Gerrard also suggested he has not had any thoughts about playing abroad, and will only consider that option if he cannot agree a new deal at Liverpool by the end of the season.

The former England skipper was rested for most of the weekend win over Stoke, coming on for the final 15 minutes to help his side break a goalless deadlock and record to their first victory in November.

He was also on the bench for 70 minutes of the Champions League group game against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu a fortnight ago.

Before that though, he hadn’t missed a Liverpool Premier League game since New Year’s Day.

That seemed to prompt the speculation that appeared at the weekend, but Rodgers had explained even before the important Champions League draw with Ludogorets in midweek, where the skipper played a crucial role, that Gerrard knew he would no longer play three games in a week.

Steven Gerrard's Liverpool career 695 Games 180 Goals Source: Liverpool's official website

He will return for the visit to rock-bottom Leicester on Tuesday, and Rodgers explained on Sunday that there are absolutely no problems with a player he feels still has a major role to play for the team.

Rodgers said contract talks are ongoing and insisted he anticipates no problems in agreeing a new deal to keep Gerrard at Anfield for 2015-16 and beyond.

“The club is talking to Steven’s representative and there are absolutely no problems that I am aware of,” he explained. “There is no update on it, but there are no problems.

"Steven’s at the point of his career when he’s not going to play every game, and not every minute of every game [he does play].

"It is simple. The reality is that at this level, and how competitive it is and the squad we have here, you can’t just rely on Steven in every single game. But he is still a hugely important player.

"He came on against Stoke and did an important job for us with his stature and experience, and he will always play a big part in our work.”