Raheem Sterling

[Norbs]

Andy Heaton @Andrew_Heaton
That BBC Sterling interview, for the avoidance of doubt, the club never sanctioned it. Read in to that what you will.

Hardly surprising really, he doesn't even say the word Liverpool. I doubt the club would want him to go on record saying he's not signed a deal. Getting a touch worrying, not that he'll be massively missed as it stands but that we are getting in the habit of losing players once they reach a certain level

[Paddy]

He does seem to realise that he needs to stay at a club like Liverpool. It's clearly his best option for his development at this time. And saying money doesn't matter to him? **** off Raheem, that is clearly bull****.

[S-RED]

hardball from JH coming up, 60mill or **** off 'insert club as appropriate'

[S-RED]

infact tell em 60mill & come back summer 2016

[Bender]

Just read his interview and my conclusion is The lad is bad beaut. Have fun warming the bench at the chavs.

[Tee]

Cash in on him, and get Depay. We will be better for it.

[McDermotX]

Agent - 'Raheem...Son.....I can get you to Chelsea. Fink abouh it ? Back to Landan. 180k.200k ? How's dat sound son ?'
'Just play da game and you'll be up there for leagues and CLs.....out in Landan town etc etc'
'You're the best young lad in the world son'
'You've done it all already son'

[calvoboy]

He's being spectacularly badly advised. An agent's job is to protect his player from looking bad while negotiating the best deal possible. Not to make them look like a money-grabbing mercenary cunt. On top of his "too tired to play for England" incident his reputation is terrible.

He needs to man up, tell his agent to shut the **** up, and get this sorted behind closed doors.

Some of the stuff he's come out with is worrying though. Any player who's not happy to move position to cover injuries can **** off, never mind a 20 year old who's done nothing yet.

[Norbs]

He does seem to realise that he needs to stay at a club like Liverpool. It's clearly his best option for his development at this time. And saying money doesn't matter to him? **** off Raheem, that is clearly bull****.

I think he thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread and that may be an issue moving forward because he isn't.

As it stands he's a useful player, totally replaceable, and if an offer came in of £40m+ then we'd be mad not to sell. That said, if he signs a 5yr deal at £120k a week then it'll be good business by the club and I'll be happy to see how he develops

[MrMichael]

Same complaint as Gerrard, would've signed if offered it earlier.

The big difference being that Gerrard had 1 year left in the summer. Sterling had 3.

At which point do we start to ask questions if the club is doing this properly? I know Raheem may just be using this a copout but surely, there is a tiny tiny possibility that we are not handling negotiations well.

As I said earlier in the thread, I think there could be a good argument with relation to Henderson (and Gerrard even although I think in the end the result has been best for all parties), but Sterling saying he would have signed an extension in the summer is a bit ridiculous when he'd only been on that deal for what, just over a year? Are we supposed to renegotiate contracts with him every summer? Would we even have been prepared to offer him the amount he obviously thinks he is worth at that point? He was after all quite happy to sign his last deal mid-season, as his peer Coutinho has been this one.

Christ on a bike we paid the lad £35k/week when he was 18 and have now offered him £100k almost exactly 2 years later after overseeing his development as well as any club on the planet would have done. The idea that in this case the club is responsible and has somehow slighted him is, imo, absurd.

[spider-neil]

Raheem says if we'd had offered him a contract last season he would have signed it. Last season there were 3 and half years left on his contract.

[Bender]

Raheem says if we'd had offered him a contract last season he would have signed it. Last season there were 3 and half years left on his contract.

His Agent seems to say a lot

[McDermotX]

.............

Christ on a bike we paid the lad £35k/week when he was 18 and have now offered him £100k almost exactly 2 years later after overseeing his development as well as any club on the planet would have done. The idea that in this case the club is responsible and has somehow slighted him is, imo, absurd.

[Shaggy]

I agree the club can't possibly have slighted him, and £100k a week is a fantastic offer. However contract problems is a recurring theme. I guess ultimately it all boils down to the fact we're not regularly challenging for honours, that's why we keep losing our best players. It's an unsolvable conundrum - we can't compete with the mega-rich clubs and this **** will just keep happening.

[spider-neil]

I think he thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread and that may be an issue moving forward because he isn't.

As it stands he's a useful player, totally replaceable, and if an offer came in of £40m+ then we'd be mad not to sell. That said, if he signs a 5yr deal at £120k a week then it'll be good business by the club and I'll be happy to see how he develops

With regards to regards to Sterling, it isn't about what he is 'now' but what he will be in a couple of years. Right now Sterling is probably in the top 5 under 21 players in world football and he is barely scratching the surface of what he is capable of.

That says, if he doesn't sign in the summer we have to get rid asap because we aren't going to get a big fee next season with 1 and half years left on his contract.