It has been confirmed that Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will join LA Galaxy in the summer as questions continue to be asked over the manner of his departure from Anfield.
News of the widely-expected deal came from Galaxy coach Bruce Arena, who revealed that Gerrard would arrive in California in July. And the club president Chris Klein described Gerrard as "the perfect fit with what he brings to us on the field and the character that he has off it".
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Former team-mate Danny Murphy, the BBC pundit who expressed his bewilderment over Gerrard's exit while watching him save Liverpool against AFC Wimbledon on Monday night, went further in an interview with Talksport.
He said he believed the club wanted to get rid of him and that their behaviour "stinks". Gerrard had a fine season as the Reds almost won the title last year, but he was not offered a contract extension in the summer.
"You can only be judged on the season you've just played and, last season, he was terrific," Murphy said. "He probably felt he'd warranted a new contract at that point."
He added that the belated contract offer in November only came after Gerrard revealed to the press that he had not been offered a new deal and after he had been told that he would have to be a bit-part player by manager Brendan Rodgers. "It's not how you should treat someone who's put their all into a club," said Murphy.
Rodgers has since said that winning the FA Cup in May would be the "perfect send off" for Gerrard. Not so, argues James Corrigan in the Daily Telegraph. It would be a "grotesquely imperfect" end for Gerrard, who obviously feels let down by the club.
"Let's face it, they never expected Gerrard to leave and are now being punished for their arrogance," he claims. "Gerrard loves the club too much to come out and utter such a thing. But reading between the lines of this week's interview with the Liverpool Echo it was plain to tell he felt badly let down by the inaction and nonchalance."