The 33-year-old says the team's ambition of a
top-four finish will turn on whether the Uruguay international leaves
but accepts that the Reds are "not the same club" any more.
The Reds' top goalscorer is subject to interest from rivals Arsenal, with outlets reporting that the North London club had tabled a bid of £42 million in July.
"I think the only person who knows what's happening is Luis himself," Gerrard told reporters. "He has a huge decision to make and, as his teammate, I have to show him respect and give him space to make whatever decision he wants to make.
"But I think everyone knows how highly I rate him and how much I want him to stay - and what we can achieve this season basically depends on whether he stays or goes, I believe."
Liverpool hasn't qualified for the Champions League since finishing league runner-up to Manchester United in 2008-09 and Gerrard admits that the Reds need to be back in the competition if it is to attract the best players.
"It is not the same club I joined because we are not in the Champions League, so it becomes an awful lot more difficult to attract the top players," he observed.
"We need to break back into the top four to get back the pull we had four or five years ago when we were comfortably in the Champions League year in, year out, and challenging to win it."
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