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ESPN staff 8y

LA Galaxy's Steven Gerrard back in training with Liverpool at Melwood

LA Galaxy midfielder Steven Gerrard joined Liverpool training on Monday for the first time since leaving the club at the end of last season and was greeted with typically English wind and rain on his return from California.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has honoured an agreement between Gerrard and former Reds manager Brendan Rodgers to allow the former skipper to join the squad at their Melwood training ground to keep his fitness up.

Gerrard will spend a few weeks with the squad during the Major League Soccer off-season, before returning to the U.S. ahead of the 2016 MLS season that begins in March.

Gerrard, 35, has ruled out any possibility of re-joining the club he left in the summer on loan.

"Next week I'm going to go in for a couple of weeks and work with Mr Klopp," Gerrard said last week. "I'm looking really forward to that, see what he's about and try and learn a few things off him."

Asked if that could lead to a loan move, he firmly said: "No."

He added in an interview with the Daily Mail: "I'm very excited to go in, obviously I've been there for a very long time and I've come out for a short period but I'm looking forward going into the new set-up, to having a look at what Klopp's all about tactically, what he demands of his players and how much he's changed since the Brendan [Rodgers] era.

"You just watch him in those interviews and you just love watching him. He's got that infectious personality and I'm excited to go and spend some time with him."

But he made it clear he would not be pulling on a Liverpool kit again. He added in an interview with Eurosport: "I've retired from the national team so I don't have to go and prove myself in Europe.

"I need to get some rest because I've got a very long season ahead next year, so it's very important I come back strong, rested and ready to go again."

Klopp told the Daily Mail last week: "I spoke with Steven, one phone call and a few messages. He's a Liverpool legend, of course. But his contract, as I know, is in the USA.

"But during his break time, I told him, 'of course you can come whenever you want; you can train with us, do whatever is good for you.' Our doors are always open for him. That is clear.

'But nothing else. Everybody can learn from Stevie, but I am trying to understand."

Gerrard is eager to finish his career with success, and is hoping to lead LA Galaxy to greater things in 2016 before possibly hanging up his boots.

"It could be my last season as a footballer. I certainly don't want to feel like I'm feeling right now come next year," he told LA Galaxy's official website after their elimination from the MLS Cup earlier this month.

"I'd love to go out on a high. It's a long season and I only came here for the last four months, but I'll certainly be better for the experience next year."

Philippe Coutinho, who missed the last two games with a hamstring problem, trained with the squad along with long-term absentee Jon Flanagan. 

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