Steven Gerrard to make Liverpool comeback after wife's Saudi living decision

Steven Gerrard left Al-Ettifaq in January 2025 after his family lived in Bahrain during his Saudi Arabia spell, and the Liverpool legend has made it clear he would return to Anfield in any capacity

Steven Gerrard and his wife, Alex, pictured in 2015(Image: Getty Images)

Steven Gerrard will make his Anfield comeback this weekend for a legends game against Borussia Dortmund.

The Champions League victor hung up his boots in 2016 following a spell with LA Galaxy, before embarking on a managerial career. The 45-year-old enjoyed considerable success managing Rangers, followed by a brief and challenging tenure at Aston Villa. Gerrard then surprised the soccer world by taking up the managerial role at Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in July 2023.

The appointment meant significant changes for the Gerrard household. The Liverpool and England legend reportedly came to an arrangement with his wife, Alex, enabling her and their four children to reside in an adjacent Gulf state, while Gerrard traveled between the two locations.

Alex, his wife since 2007, reportedly had little interest in residing in Saudi Arabia for prolonged periods. Consequently, the family settled in Manama, Bahrain's capital city, roughly an hour's drive from Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia, where Gerrard worked.

This arrangement enabled Gerrard to travel via a 15-mile causeway linking Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, even though his club had provided him with a luxurious villa in Dammam.

Gerrard himself tackled rumors he was living full-time in Bahrain during a call to a local radio station. He explained that his time was divided between Bahrain and just over the border, where Alex and the family were residing.

Steven Gerrard left Al-Ettifaq in January 2025(Image: Getty Images)

Gerrard's wife and children occupied a six-bedroom property in Hamala. The home featured its own swimming pool, tennis courts and games room, and sat within an exclusive gated enclave amongst Bahrain's wealthy elite.

Gerrard's Saudi Arabian spell came with an eye-watering £15.2 million ($20.2 million) annual wage, making him the fourth-highest-paid manager globally, behind only Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone at that point.

His spell concluded in January 2025. Since then, he has regularly featured as a pundit on TNT Sports.

With his old club enduring difficulties under Arne Slot, and some supporters even suggesting he should return to stabilize matters, Gerrard made a remark toward the close of last year that would thrill many Liverpool supporters.

The ex-Reds skipper told Ally McCoist on TNT Sports that he would embrace the chance to come back to Liverpool in whatever role.

"I'll be brutally, brutally honest with you: I'd help Liverpool in any department at any minute of every day," he said. "I'd help them with anything. I don't want the Liverpool manager to lose his job, I want Arne Slot to fix this and turn it around and make Liverpool great.

"If that right opportunity, or that feeling that I got when I first bounced into Rangers, doesn't come, then I'm fine. I'm not searching for a job, I'm not down the Job Centre for what's available. I'm not hoping, 'That one might come available.'"

He explained: "My life's great, my family life's great, I'm enjoying doing [media work], I've got a lot going on. My life's good, I'm fine. If the right football project comes up, the hunger's back, it's there."