Football clubs dream of producing players of Steven Gerrard’s ilk and Liverpool have an impossible task of replacing their influential midfielder, according to Jamie Redknapp.
The former Liverpool midfielder believes the expectation piled on academy prospects to graduate through the ranks at Anfield now leaves the club struggling to replace Gerrard and fellow club legend Jamie Carragher.
And Redknapp, who ultimately made way for Gerrard as he burst on to the scene at the turn of the century, thinks his former club may need to recruit as many as two players to fill the void in midfield.
“The difficulty for Liverpool now will be how to replace Gerrard,” Redknapp told Sky Sports.
“I’ve lost count of how many people at Liverpool have said to me, ‘we’ve got the next Steven Gerrard coming through’. I’m still waiting.
“I’ve not seen anyone who could come anywhere near him. To go and find the next Gerrard is virtually impossible. He has been the mainstay, the one player that no matter what happened has always performed at such a high level.
“That’s the pressure that is heaped on every young player at Liverpool. Every time there is a young man coming through there is that burden of being the next Gerrard and it’s virtually impossible. Nobody will ever be able to do what he has done, he was unique.
“Rather than comparing everybody to him let’s hope Liverpool can find players, it might take two players to do what he has done.
“It’s going to be extremely difficult and it’s going to cost a lot of money. They’re going to have to do it in a slightly different way to what they have before.”
Redknapp highlighted the special bond between Liverpool fans and home-grown players before suggesting Gerrard’s departure was a "sad" day not only for the Merseyside club, but for the entire football community.
“If you can produce two or three youth players through the youth system then great,” he added.
“But to produce a Gerrard, and a Carragher for that matter, is every club’s dream especially in Liverpool where the fans have a bond with local players.
“I witnessed it with Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler. When the local lads come through there’s nothing quite like it, the fans appreciate it so much.
“You feel sorry for the fans because they are never going to see Gerrard after this season doing what he did best.
“It’s a shame for everybody associated with the club, and with genuine football fans as we are never going to see Gerrard perform in that Liverpool shirt again.”