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Captain Gerrard leaving Liverpool at end of season

Leicester City's David Nugent, left, and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match at Anfield, Liverpool, England, Thursday Jan. 1, 2015. (AP Photo/PA, Peter Byrne) UNITED KINGDOM OUT NO SALES NO ARCHIVE

LONDON (AP) — Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will leave the club at the end of the season but will not play for a rival.

Leicester City’s David Nugent, left, and Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match at Anfield, Liverpool, England, Thursday Jan. 1, 2015. (AP Photo/PA, Peter Byrne) UNITED KINGDOM OUT NO SALES NO ARCHIVE

The 34-year-old midfielder made the announcement on Friday midway through a season when he has no longer been a guaranteed starter.

Gerrard says he’s making the announcement now so the manager and team are not distracted by stories or speculation about my future.

With his contract expiring at the end of the season, Gerrard has been free to talk to foreign clubs since New Year’s Day.

Gerrard says his next club will be somewhere that means I won’t be playing for a competing club and will not therefore be lining up against Liverpool — that is something I could never contemplate.

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