Raheem Sterling

[DannyMan2006]

The only way we will keep top talent is to have a splurge AKA Man City to bring in a group of world class players in one window to show intent. The best players leave to play with the best players and win trophies and we don't have enough best players so we will continually be losing anyone that's any good before we can develop more really good players to play with them.

The owners sort of think they've tried that but they haven't. They spent a lot of money with Dalglish and then Rodgers in one window but buying lots of mediocre players and it wasn't really a lot of money in today's market anyway and Rodgers mini splurge was financed by one of the world class players we should have been trying to buy with a real splurge.

It's not going to happen so in the meantime we will have to get used to players like Sterling making their name with us and then leaving to play with the best players. We just have to hope that once in a while things will align like they did last season so we have just enough talent and injury free support cast to achieve something.

Can't splurge anymore due to FFP

[Kenneth]

Getting alot of stick but IMO he was our best player. Worked so hard, his finishing is ****e & should have scored but sure he's not a striker. Was asked to play up top when he's not a natural finisher, got into great positions and created chances.. just needed a good striker there.

So much pressure and expectation on this lad at the moment.. let alone playing him in an unfamiliar position.

Not a natural finisher is an understatement. His shooting is atrocious, but that's the only thing stopping him being brilliant. Still time to improve it though.

[danperkins]

Not a natural finisher is an understatement. His shooting is atrocious, but that's the only thing stopping him being brilliant. Still time to improve it though.

his finishing and end product is very bad but he's only a kid. His approach play is fantastic and as you said is just goals short of being a top class player. By the way things are going we'll be lucky to keep him.

[Frenchie]

Can't splurge anymore due to FFP

New Stand naming rights will bring in more cash.

[cream]

Thought he had moments where he was great and moments where he was poor.

[Exiled_red]

For me he's feeling the pressure, last year he had Sturridge and Suarez and we were playing free flowing football and ripping teams apart if a chance fell to him and he missed it, it didn't matter as loads more would come along for him or one of the others. This year he is essentially the main man and if a chance goes begging chances are another won't come for a while so he's really feeling the pressure. Him and Gerrard are our top PL goalscorers and he hasn't scored since September.

[G]

He should be signing that contract in the morning and telling his agent to stop being a ****. He has all the tools but a long way to go to put them all together into a top package.

[Tribute]

He should be signing that contract in the morning and telling his agent to stop being a ****. He has all the tools but a long way to go to put them all together into a top package.

...whatever any forum fans think he's worth (£25k to £70k to us seems pretty reasonable at his young age) the issue is that other clubs could well be prepared to pay £100-120k a week. Doesn't then matter what he's currently on, it's what other clubs are prepared to pay him that's the sticking point in negotiating a new contract.

Personally, I think he'll be gone in the summer, but like many have said on here already, I don't trust Brendan to use the transfer funds appropriately.

[Dessy]

Thought he had moments where he was great and moments where he was poor.

Really?

Love the kid but thought he should have stepped up to the plate by now and end product was woefully short 😢

[McDermotX]

Reds confident over Sterling
Brendan Rodgers is confident Raheem Sterling will not follow the talent drain out of Liverpool despite a season which has failed to take off so far.

Sterling, 20, who the Anfield giants are keen to tie down to a new long-term contract, is reportedly of interest to Bayern Munich.

After striker Luis Suarez was sold to Barcelona in the summer, the club can ill-afford to lose their next potential world-class star if poor results prevent them returning to the Champions League on a regular basis.

"Hopefully it is not going to be the case. We are trying to build something here," said Rodgers.

"We were on a path for a couple of years and we have had to come off that path since the summer having lost some players and have had to regroup.

"He is a real talisman for this team. He has been a great example of the progress that a lot of the players have made here.

"He has gone from a youth team player to one of the top young players in European football.

"The club, I am sure, will work very hard (on his contract) and Raheem is happy here, he loves being a Liverpool player.

"I am sure between them and the representatives we can get a deal done which will see him go on to continue to develop what is an exciting career.

"I will never be surprised teams will be linked with Raheem as he is such a big talent at 20, a wonderful young player, but I am quite relaxed about it."

Sterling found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons at the weekend after missing Liverpool's best chances in the 3-0 defeat at Manchester United.

Rodgers insists the youngster is not being affected by the debate over his future.

"I think Raheem has been brilliant, absolutely outstanding," added Rodgers ahead of a crucial Capital One Cup quarter-final at SkyBet Championship leaders Bournemouth.

"The kid's played in a front role for me at the weekend - a role he has played before as a youngster - but I don't think it is affecting him one bit.

"Okay he maybe could have got a goal or so but he puts defenders on the back foot, he is intelligent in his game, has running ability, and is getting himself into some wonderful positions.

"The kid has been a real catalyst for us in terms of our attacking threat so I don't think there is anything which has affected him.

"He leaves his representatives to work with the club to hopefully organise the deal for him and he has no real influence in that.

"All I ask him to do is concentrate on playing football and the performances will come and he has shown consistently he has been a real threat."

http://www.football365.com/premier-league/9609538/BR-Some-Have-Left-But-Sterling-Stays

[BobTheCharmer]

He's starting to remind me of Tony Daley, although Daley scored a few good goals. Always had a lot of time for the lad, but if he's going to be world class rather than just very good or plain good, he needs to start winning games. Sign the contract and contract on goals.

[BigChief]

Ok then so here's the devil's advocate bit again:

Our squad is a mess, and our hands are almost tied with FFP for bringing in new players. If Bayern offered £60-80m it would free up much needed finance for 4 reasonably top class players (none that Rodgers is allowed to buy!!): goalie, defender, striker and another.

Would you sell, considering Ibe and Origi will be with us soon?

[Chazza]

He's starting to remind me of Tony Daley, although Daley scored a few good goals. Always had a lot of time for the lad, but if he's going to be world class rather than just very good or plain good, he needs to start winning games. Sign the contract and contract on goals.

Daley Played 340 Goals 41

Sterling Played 71 Goals 14

Sterling has scored a couple of corkers for us. Norwich away and City at home last season.

[Pablo]

No one stands out in the current setup. It'd be very difficult to excel while all around you are floundering. Especially at his age.

The key for me though is that even while under-performing he still stands out, by an absolute mile, as our best player.

[Myo]

Oh we are a selling club again huh? In that case I prefer off loading the others such as Glen, maybe Allen, defo Lovren, and bring back some of our youngsters from loan, start playing lucas, toure and sakho when fit, and just buy a top class striker. .and no, defo not sell our top attacking players twice in the space of half a year...I rather advocate that...