Rick Parry has been speaking to BBC Sport, here's the interview:
By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer
Maybe there will be an offer in the summer, maybe there won't
Parry on Chelsea's interest in Steven Gerrard
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has revealed they would turn down a £50m bid for Steven Gerrard.
But Parry, speaking exclusively to BBC Sport, also admits Gerrard, who has been constantly linked with Chelsea, will have the final say on his future.
He told BBC Five Live: "Steve is above money. He is the future of Liverpool.
"It doesn't matter if it's £30m, £40m or £50m, we will not accept offers. But we are also realistic enough to know we can't keep Steven against his will."
On the subject of Liverpool's finances, Parry also revealed the club is ready to explore the possibility of a sponsorship deal for its proposed new stadium.
Hansen's Liverpool warning
And responding to criticism from BBC Sport pundit and former Liverpool stalwart Alan Hansen, he insisted talks on new investment are ongoing, but added the door has not closed on shareholder and lifelong fan Steve Morgan.
Parry joined Liverpool as chief executive in July 1998 from a similar role at the Premier League.
'Real asked for option'
There have been several highs and lows during his time in charge at Anfield - and he had a busy summer, overseeing the arrival of new manager Rafael Benitez and managing to hold on to Steven Gerrard.
On the subject of Liverpool's captain and prize asset, Parry revealed Real Madrid did ask for an option on the England midfield man during negotiations for striker Fernando Morientes.
But when asked if Gerrard would be a Liverpool player on the first day of next season, Parry said: "I sincerely hope he will be. Steven knows my views. He knows Rafa's views.
"We have re-affirmed recently to Steven that we are trying to build a team around him. We crave success as much as he does. We know he's ambitious and nobody can argue with that.
The Arsenal stadium deal is the sort of deal that causes you to draw breath and say 'wow - that's interesting'
Rick Parry on the options for Liverpool's proposed new stadium
"I think Steven would dearly love to win things with Liverpool more than he'd like to do anything else.
"We all want to see progress by next season. He's not alone in that. There are a lot of other players who feel the same, so we all have a common aim."
It is expected Chelsea will test Liverpool with a £30m-plus bid in the summer - but Parry claims he will be in no mood to listen.
"There have been a lot of open secrets about Steven, most of which have been complete myths. It is suggested we had a deal tied up last summer. We never had an offer last summer," Parry explained.
"We had told Chelsea that as far as we were concerned he was not for sale and we didn't want to sell him. In reality it didn't go beyond that.
"Maybe there will be an offer in the summer. Maybe there won't.
It's good to see him reiterating that the board have no intention of selling Gerrard
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"Our position is we want Steven to stay, but we are also realistic enough and have enough respect for Steven - and he has enough respect for us - to know that it is his decision that will be crucial.
"You are not going to keep a player like Steven against his will. That just doesn't work, but any idea we are going to accept offers for Steven and then tell him 'by the way we've decided to sell you' is not on the agenda. You can forget that."
Parry is currently in the process of finalising funding for Liverpool's new stadium in Stanley Park, which is set to open in 2007.
And he confessed Arsenal's £100m deal with Emirates to sponsor their new ground - complete with naming rights - has given the Anfield club serious food for thought.
He said: "I have to say historically it is something I have been against, and I have been on record as saying that, but I think the size of the Arsenal deal is a real eye-opener.
Liverpool hope to move away from Anfield by 2007
"I would say in the past deals have been done frankly far too cheaply and it just hasn't even been worth contemplating.
"But the Arsenal deal is the sort of deal that causes you to draw breath and say 'wow - that's interesting.'
"My personal point of view is that I would find it a hell of a lot more palatable than a shared stadium."
Some Liverpool fans would find such a move highly controversial, but Parry countered: "I recognise it would be an emotive issue for many supporters, but you look at the amount of money available and it could go into the team.
"If it was the right partner how strong an issue is it? Time will tell.
"I think the stadium will always be Anfield, not least because of where it is, but do we need to investigate the possibilities of sponsorship? I think it would be remiss not to.
"That's not to say we have made a decision that we will go down that road, but I think it is clearly something we have to explore."
Steve has never been used as a stalking horse. There's no need, and that is not the way we do business
Parry on Liverpool's negotiations with business tycoon Steve Morgan
On the subject of possible new investment, Parry revealed Liverpool are still in negotiations with a mystery investor, with rumours of interest from the Middle East.
That prompted the withdrawal of tycoon Steve Morgan, who got frustrated by failed bids and what he claimed was indecision by the board.
He also accused Liverpool of using him as "a stalking horse" to attract other bids, but Parry explained: "Steve has never been used as a stalking horse. There's no need, and that is not the way we do business.
"We had discussions with Steve over the course of 2004. I think we came close to concluding a deal in the summer but it didn't happen.
"Quite genuinely, the new interest did appear relatively late in the day just prior to the AGM in December, and as I have said it was of such potential magnitude, and that potential is so exciting, we felt we had to evaluate it. We are still evaluating it.
"Steve's interest was taken very much on its own merits. His enthusiasm for the club is there for all to see and who knows what the next few months will hold?
"The door isn't closed on anything. We had a perfectly sensible dialogue with Steve last year.
"We have a common interest in making Liverpool successful. That's a dream we all share, so as far as I'm concerned the door is not closed."
Interesting stuff, looks like he may be offering a palm leaf to Steve Morgan and I wonder who the other potential investor is, is it still the Kraft chese one?
The stadium thing's interesting, too - do we sell some of our soul to get 60,000 home gates or do we stay at Anfield. Personally I think we need to move with the times and as long as any sponsor has very deep pockets then hey can call it what they want as long as Anfield is incorporated in it somewhere
Thought-provoking stuff from Mr Parry....