Steven Gerrard to manage Lionel Messi? PSG considering Liverpool legend – report

Steven Gerrard looks on ahead of the Premier League match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield on 21 January, 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
(Image credit: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Steven Gerrard has emerged as a surprise contender to replace under-pressure PSG head coach Christopher Galtier.

The Ligue 1 leaders fought back to claim a dramatic 4-3 win over Lille on Sunday, but they've been in rotten form of late by their extremely high standards.

That victory was preceded by three straight defeats – PSG went down 3-1 at Monaco in the league, were dumped out of the Coupe de France by arch-rivals Marseille, and lost 1-0 at home to Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 – prompting questions to be asked of Galtier's position.

Lionel Messi of PSG shoots from a free-kick to score his team's fourth goal during the Ligue 1 match between PSG and Lille at the Parc des Princes on 19 February, 2023 in Paris, France.

Lionel Messi scored a 95th-minute free-kick winner for PSG last time out (Image credit: Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images)

Gerrard – who was sacked by Aston Villa in October after an utterly miserable start to the season – won't have been at the top of many people's lists to manage PSG. However, the Scottish Daily Express claim that the Liverpool legend – who started his managerial career with Rangers – has been 'discussed' as a potential option to succeed Galtier should he be sacked.

The Parisian giants have also been linked with Thomas Tuchel, who was dismissed by Chelsea a month before Gerrard lost his job at Villa. In charge at the Parc des Princes between 2018 and 2020, the German guided PSG to successive Ligue 1 titles and their first-ever Champions League title.

PSG are entering a period which could have a defining impact on their campaign, beginning with a top-of-the-table clash away to Marseille on Sunday night. After that, it's Nantes at home, before they travel to Bayern for the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.

Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...