The Reds face a huge battle to convince Raheem Sterling to extend his contract at Anfield…
Debate has been raging this week over the latest development in the Raheem Sterling contract saga. The 20-year-old spoke out on Wednesday as part of an in-depth interview with the BBC, rejecting claims that he is ‘money-grabbing’.
SEE MORE:
Top 10 marathon men in the Premier League: Liverpool star among players to display impressive fitness levels
Why Liverpool should sign home-sick Real Madrid star in Raheem Sterling swap deal
Liverpool transfer news
According to the follow-up report (mentioned here in the Telegraph), Sterling has already turned down a new £100,000-a-week deal, and has – until at least the end of the current campaign – ruled out extending his contract beyond the summer of 2017.
Brendan Rodgers has since said, speaking in his press conference (via the Mirror) on Thursday, that the England international will definitely stay put this summer, and has reiterated his belief that he will eventually put pen to paper on an extension.
While many supporters have voiced their frustration at the player himself, the likely realisation that this is the customary ploy of an agent trying to get his talented young client the best possible deal.
Nonetheless, the whole situation begs the question of whether we should be retaining such a narrowed focus on convincing him to stay. In the list below, we count down the pros and cons of doing so…
PRO – Best young player on the planet
Sterling won the Golden Boy award for the world’s best young player for 2014. It’s a prestigious honour, won in the past by the likes of Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas, Paul Pogba and Sergio Aguero. He’s been an integral part of our team for the last three years, and his importance within our squad needs to be recognised.
CON – Wants too much too soon
Sterling is just 20. If he wants £150,000 now, what will he want in five years time? He believes he’s not ‘money-grabbing’ by making such demands, but how is there a more appropriate term? How many people of his age are earning a six-figure weekly fee? He’s incredibly lucky, and should recognise his privileged position.
PRO – Lack of attacking options
The loss of Luis Suarez to Barcelona last summer left a huge hole in our squad which has still not been filled. The injury problems of Daniel Sturridge and the lack of form shown by the likes of Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert have required someone to step up. If any man has done just that, it’s our joint top-scorer – Raheem Sterling. Surely we can’t afford to lose another one of best attackers, regardless of cost?
CON – Exciting potential replacement
If Sterling is to leave the club, he would surely bring in a whopping fee. Manuel Pellegrini even claimed it’d be close to £100m, a few weeks back (via the Mirror). He has over two years left to run on his current contract, and has already attracted interest from a number of major European giants. That money could revamp our squad once again, as it did last summer when Suarez departed.
PRO – Sterling’s ability to play multiple positions
Brendan Rodgers has leaned heavily on Sterling this season, as demonstrated by the fact that he’s played 43 games in all competitions, already five matches more than his previous high. He’s played as a central striker, an attacking midfielder, an out-and-out winger, and even a wing-back, playing on both the right and left hand side. In short, he’s a sensational option to have.
CON – Not as good as some might think?
Have we made him look better than he actually is? There’s no denying his talent, but his peak level of performance arguably came when the likes of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard were all fit and firing. The trio created more space for him to work in, and the reduction in that space has seen his performance level slide.
PRO – The embodiment of home-grown talent
The footballing authorities are continuing to step-up their demands on home-grown talent, by all accounts a positive move that will help promote talented young English players. What sort of statement would we be making if we let our best young English player leave – especially to a domestic rival such as Manchester City or Arsenal? In terms of filling homegrown quotas, we’ll be ok because of our UK heavy squad – but Sterling’s the most highly valued of the bunch.
CON – We have a ready-made replacement waiting in the wings
Jordon Ibe showed earlier this season that he has quality in spades. The teenager returned from his loan move at Derby County and shone, turning in a number of man-of-the-match performances before his season was cruelly cut short by injury. Sterling’s departure would open the door for him to continue progressing on the big stage.
PRO – So much room to grow and improve
Let’s not lose sight of the immeasurable potential that is on show. Sterling is 20-years-old. How good could he be when he’s 23? When he’s 25? This should be a player that we’re building our team around, and we should do whatever it takes to ensure that he stays put. His contract needs to be priority number one, nothing less.
CON – He’s let us down, and we can’t give in
Rodgers has said time and again that Sterling will stay. But why does he deserve such loyal support, when he has offered so little in return? The BBC interview was not approved by us (via Sky Sports), and he’s spoken openly on a number of occasions about his future. This should all have been done in-house, and he’s instead opened it up to the public domain. This is undermining Liverpool football club, and should be treated in that way.
