Top 5 potential replacements for Steven Gerrard at Liverpool

The heart and soul of Liverpool Football Club - Steven Gerrard - has epitomised all the good that football stands for. It has been a glorious career filled with moments to remember. But realistically speaking, Gerrard has only two to three years left at the very highest level, and with Liverpool seemingly back in the Champions League, it seems highly unlikely that Gerrard will play every game.We take a look at 5 players who could fill the void that Gerrard will evetually leave in the very fabric of Liverpool FC.

#1 Jordan Henderson

If Liverpool are to look for a replacement from within, then Henderson is the man. He has already shown that he can capably run the midfield in Gerrard's absence when the latter was out due to injury earlier in the season. He has become a regular for Brendan Rodgers and is finally beginning to show that he was worth the 20 million pounds that Liverpool spent on him.

While Henderson has shown that he has a good range of passing and that he is a wonderful athlete, one part of his game that has left a lot to be desired has been his finishing. If he can add more goals to his game, then he could be the robust midfielder that Liverpool and England have been craving for.

#2 Lars Bender

Lars Bender has been the backbone of the Bayer Leverkusen midfielde for a few seasons now. Adept in the air, and brilliantly fearless on the tackle, Bender has a game which is ideally suited to the Premier League. He also chips in with a goal or two every now and then and he doesn't waste too many passes.

Bender ensures that he does much more than just recycle possessio and is very assured on the ball. While he definitely won't be available on the cheap, if Liverpool are to splash the cash on Bender, it would be worth it.

#3 Mateo Kovacic

The 19-year-old has created a ripple in Serie A with superb performances for Inter Milan after joining from Dinamo Zagreb. Kovacic can play across the midfield; he is dynamic, energetic and possesses a wide range of passing.

Those are qualities that are akin to Gerrard at his pomp. Kovacic could do the same as Philippe Coutinho, who moved to Anfield from Inter Milan to have a huge say in Liverpool's current title race.

#4 Luca Cigarini

Dubbed in Italian Football Circles as the "Poor Man's Andrea Pirlo", Atalanta's Luca Cigarini is one who always slips under the radar. He is joint third on the assists chart in Serie A and he is fearless on the tackle.

Cigarini could be available on the cheap as well, given that he plays for a club which is not very highly thought of in Serie A circles.

#5 Ivan Rakitic

At 25 years old, with the ability to play either as a number 10 or a deep lying playmaker, Rakitic would seem the ideal replacement for Gerrard. However, the Sevilla captain is prone to bouts of inconsistency, and that is the only thing which holds him back.

Rakitic is a class act on the ball, possessing skill and the ability to penetrate through opposing defences with his passing. Off the ball, he is the hard working player that Brendan Rodgers likes to have in his system.

Rakitic definitely won't be available on the cheap, but if Brendan Rodgers does go in for him, it could well be a masterstroke.