Ghana superstar Andre Ayew has revealed that Liverpool would be his preferred destination next season.
Having been unable to agree terms on a new contract with current club Olympique de Marseille, Ayew will become a free agent at the end of June, and he has made clear that Anfield would be his destination of choice.
“I grew up watching English football and I support Liverpool,” the Ghanaian began, speaking to Sportsmail.
“Steven Gerrard is my favourite player. They have always had exciting teams and now they are a club that likes to play with pace and give chances to young players.”
The player has had no shortage of admirers, with major clubs in England, Italy and Germany all making clear their desire to recruit the talented 25-year-old.
Ayew and his father-cum-agent Abedi Pele had previously admitted that the Black Star would be keen to remain at OM should an ‘appropriate’ deal be forthcoming, but with the season drawing to a close, the club appear resigned to his departure.
Scout Jose Anigo is just one high-profile figure at the Stade Velodrome to have admitted that Ayew’s future lies elsewhere.
“I'm a Marseille boy,” Ayew continued, “I love Marseille, the club, the fans, the area, it's a great place to play football and I will continue to speak to them but it's true I'd like to play in England.
“I'm 25 now and it is a good age for me to take the next step in my career. I have offers from England, Italy and Germany but it would be unfair to say who from. I speak to my friends such as Morgan Amalfitano at West Ham and Joey Barton at QPR and they always talk well about the league and the atmosphere.
“I have been fortunate to experience Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford in the Champions League but I want to play at Anfield and other grounds.
“I know my quality. I have shown I can play at Marseille and I have taken on responsibility with my country. It's important that you always strive to be better. You see with players such as Eden Hazard how hard they work and I believe in hard work to get better. It's easy to talk though, what is important is that I do it.”
Abedi Pele has previously revealed that Ayew is keen to play in the Champions League, but that he would find it hard to leave Marseille before winning the Ligue 1 title with the club.
Following OM’s back-to-back defeats against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain and Girondins de Bordeaux, Marseille have slipped five points off the top of the table.
Despite this, Ayew has confirmed that he remains committed to the cause with Marcelo Bielsa’s side: “I will fight to the end for Marseille,” he concluded, “then I will make my decision. It is an important step for me.”
Credit: Goal.com
