Steven Gerrard wearing the red of Manchester United is the kind of image that feels almost impossible to picture. Yet the Liverpool icon has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson’s interest went far enough for Gary Neville to approach him while the pair were away on England duty, only for Gerrard to shut the conversation down almost immediately.

For a generation of Liverpool fans, Steven Gerrard represented everything Manchester United were not. He was the local lad, academy graduate, captain and heartbeat of a Liverpool side desperately attempting to knock United from their perch.

That makes Gerrard’s latest revelation particularly fascinating. Speaking during a lengthy appearance on Open Goal, Gerrard recalled Neville approaching him while the pair were together with England and asking whether there was even the slightest possibility he would consider swapping Anfield for Old Trafford. 

Gerrard explained: “When I was away with England, Gary said, ‘Can I have a word?’”

According to Gerrard, Neville made it clear he was simply the messenger before asking whether there was “any small possible chance” he would play for Manchester United.

Gerrard’s response was wonderfully uncomplicated: “Gary, just leave.”

Neville has previously told his version of the extraordinary conversation. Speaking on Stick to Football, he revealed Ferguson had personally asked him to sound Gerrard out around 2004.

Neville recalled Ferguson telling him to persuade Gerrard, even offering to personally collect the midfielder. Gerrard, however, quickly made clear that leaving Liverpool for their fiercest rivals simply wasn’t realistic, with Neville remembering him saying his family would never be able to remain in Liverpool if he made the switch. 

It was another reminder of just how highly Gerrard was regarded beyond Merseyside.

Gerrard didn’t simply play for Liverpool, for long periods, he seemed to drag the club forward through sheer force of personality.

After joining Liverpool’s academy as a youngster, he made his first-team debut against Blackburn Rovers in November 1998. By the time he departed for LA Galaxy in 2015, Gerrard had amassed 710 appearances and 186 goals, captaining the club for 12 years. 

His trophy collection included the Champions League, UEFA Cup, two FA Cups, three League Cups and UEFA Super Cup. He was also named PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 2006. 

But numbers only tell part of Gerrard’s story. There was the thunderous strike against Olympiacos that kept Liverpool’s 2004/05 Champions League campaign alive. Then came Istanbul, where Gerrard’s header started the scarcely believable comeback from 3-0 down against AC Milan before he eventually lifted the European Cup.

A year later came Cardiff and a performance so extraordinary that the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham became widely known as “The Gerrard Final”. With Liverpool seconds from defeat, their captain unleashed a stunning long-range equaliser before the Reds eventually won on penalties. 

He also produced one of his finest individual campaigns in 2008/09, scoring a career-best 24 goals in all competitions, although Liverpool were ultimately beaten to the Premier League title by Manchester United. 

That elusive league medal would remain the glaring omission from his collection. Liverpool came painfully close again in 2013/14, when Gerrard reinvented himself in a deeper midfield position and Brendan Rodgers’ side took the title race to the final day.

His Premier League record still stands at 504 appearances, 120 goals and 92 assists, remarkable numbers for a midfielder whose career encompassed everything from holding midfield to playing just behind Fernando Torres. 

Perhaps that is what makes United’s approach so intriguing. Ferguson spent years trying to keep Liverpool beneath United, yet even he seemingly recognised that Gerrard possessed exactly the qualities any great side would want.

Chelsea came much closer to taking Gerrard away from Anfield, but Manchester United?

That was apparently one transfer conversation that barely made it beyond the opening question.

For Liverpool supporters, Gerrard in a United shirt belongs firmly in the category of football’s strangest alternative histories and judging by his response to Neville, Gerrard felt exactly the same way.

How would you have felt if Gerrard considered heading to Manchester United? Leave your thoughts and comments below.