Raheem Sterling

[Doc_Piptorious]

We can afford to pay him, Gerrard ****s off soon, that adds 200k to the pot.

Nah that will be going towards paying Pjanic and Varane each week

[Mike]

I thought the same. From what I read in various places the club were meant to be offering him circa £100k a week after initally offering closer to £70k a week, but that Sterling's advisors were looking for a figure of £130k or above.

That's what I read too.

I've heard rumours that we've offered £100k and will not go any higher, but the agent wants £130k.

Henry will not budge, despite the agent playing the waiting game; every week that Sterling/agent waits he is losing out on £60k.

[Muddled]

I actually disagree with this, because if we look at how highly rated players are, and transfer values then these are paralleled in the wages they can expect. Sterling is the most highly rated young talent in Europe (golden boy anybody?) is statistically our best player this season and is one of England's better players. Hendo, is good for us, but struggles to get in the England team and his transfer fee would be nowhere near Sterlings'. Hendo, future captain or not is on a different plane when it comes to transfer negotiations. This is why I feel the club can afford to give Sterling a big contract because, as it stands, nobody else in the squad could demand anywhere near his numbers. And even Balotelli what is he on 110,000 p/w I'm by no means anti-Balotelli and believe we will give him at least one more season, but what has ever done anywhere besides show promise?

You can't hand out pay-rises because of a made up transfer valuation. I agree, we would sell Sterling for a lot more than we would Henderson, but attacking players always sell for a premium. Pacey, skillful players go for even more. You can't say Sterling is worth x so let's pay him y and follow that structure throughout the team.

Sterling is 20 years of age - where do we go when his contract is up for negotiation as he approaches his peak? FSG will have a wage structure in place for our own stability - where does 'just £1.5m' stop?

What FranktheTank touched on earlier is along the right lines. A heavily incentivised contract with a much-improved net salary is more than enough for a second (?) professional contract. Let's not scrimp but let's not get swept away in the hype; Sterling's been offered to triple his salary (going by reports) probably with the promise of an improved contract if he maintains this level in a few years. We should not be held to ransom.

[Pablo]

Age is irrelevant. Experience comes into it, but the main factor is just talent. He's got bags of it.

For me he's easily a £100k a week player already. If we don't pay it someone else will. It's that simple really.

[Muddled]

If you're making the decision with your heart, then yes.

Ibe looks to have bags of talent too. Do we offer him £130,000 per week?

[Vermilion]

Didn't Couto sign a new deal rumoured to be starting at around 70k?

Why any different for Sterling ?

[rudedog]

Didn't Couto sign a new deal rumoured to be starting at around 70k?

Why any different for Sterling ?

Brendan himself said that he thought Sterling was the best young player in Europe - that probably gave Sterlings agent a fair bit of leverage when it came to negotiations.

[Pablo]

If you're making the decision with your heart, then yes.

Ibe looks to have bags of talent too. Do we offer him £130,000 per week?

In a couple of years time if he has achieved what Sterling has, and looks as integral to the team, then yes, yes we do.

[The_weatherman]

In a couple of years time if he has achieved what Sterling has, and looks as integral to the team, then yes, yes we do.

If he gets nominated the Golden boy and performs like Sterling I'm all for it. We need to show the players we have that they're wanted, otherwise we'll get nowhere.

[Muddled]

In a couple of years time if he has achieved what Sterling has, and looks as integral to the team, then yes, yes we do.

I agree he's integral to the team and the number of games he has played this season would show Rodgers sees him in the same light. But what has Sterling achieved? One goal in four? One assist in five?

He has so much more in his locker and he has so much more to learn. Why pay top dollar now if he's not top dog? The significant pay increase reflects his growing importance to our team, but - in my opinion - he has yet to warrant parity with players who have been doing it for longer.

He would be getting too much too soon.

[Muddled]

If he gets nominated the Golden boy and performs like Sterling I'm all for it. We need to show the players we have that they're wanted, otherwise we'll get nowhere.

A (rumoured) triple your wage and increased bonuses offer on the table would suggest we are showing that he is wanted.

I can't help but question his motivation, but have to remember a lot of it is being played out in the media by agent and club.

[RedReet]

I wonder what the likes of Gerrard, Owen or Fowler were earning in relation to the top earners at the club when they were 20.

[colpro]

You can't hand out pay-rises because of a made up transfer valuation. I agree, we would sell Sterling for a lot more than we would Henderson, but attacking players always sell for a premium. Pacey, skillful players go for even more. You can't say Sterling is worth x so let's pay him y and follow that structure throughout the team.

Sterling is 20 years of age - where do we go when his contract is up for negotiation as he approaches his peak? FSG will have a wage structure in place for our own stability - where does 'just £1.5m' stop?

What FranktheTank touched on earlier is along the right lines. A heavily incentivised contract with a much-improved net salary is more than enough for a second (?) professional contract. Let's not scrimp but let's not get swept away in the hype; Sterling's been offered to triple his salary (going by reports) probably with the promise of an improved contract if he maintains this level in a few years. We should not be held to ransom.

Then when his next contract expires, or close to, if we can't afford his wage demands sell him. But for a big fee, and after an extra 3 years service. He should be worth a lot more by then. My point is it is the wrong time to sell and his wage demands shouldn't have too greater an influence on other peoples, as Sturridge's never. And players wages are indexed to what they bring to the pitch, and their market value is linked to where they play. A good CF will always be paid more than a good CM. You can bet your bottom dollar that Falco is on more than Alonso or Masch. That's the way of the world. I'm not saying you create an arbitrary index to price your players, but you need to be aware of what your players are worth and where they might go when entering these negotiations. If Sterling left he'd possibly interest Real, Barca and Bayern among others. Henderson, as much as I love him wouldn't. So Sterling is worth a greater salary. I agree with your point that in an ideal world we would give him a highly incentivised contract, which should grow with his performances, if the club can negotiate it I'd be all for that. The numbers to me aren't important as we have no real idea what has been offered and what is wanted. The point of the article is hypothetical, and that is that Liverpool should be prepared to make Sterling the second highest earner at the club, if that is what it takes to keep him. He is 20, a huge talent, and if we don't pay him it the fact that somebody else will means that it's his market rate. There is lots of money swishing around right now, and when the near TV deal kicks in wages will kick on again, and this won't seem too bad business at all.

[The_weatherman]

A (rumoured) triple your wage and increased bonuses offer on the table would suggest we are showing that he is wanted.

I can't help but question his motivation, but have to remember a lot of it is being played out in the media by agent and club.

Yeah, but I don't think we should be looking at this in proportion to his current salary. His current salary is way off his current contribution.

He is one of our maybe top five players? The others are in the 70-150.000 bracket I guess. I'd rather land him at 120-130.000 for the next five years then risk having to sell him cut-price.

If the other players contribute like he does then fair enough, negotiate with them again.

[Bender]

damn by the time Raheem negotiates his next contract he'll be looking at £250k.....and here's us claiming we can't sign Marquee players as we can't or won't pay the wages ....this is a a benchmark now what with the new tv deal for other players to follow suit.As for young Raheem you got the Talent but you ain't achieved $HIT YET.