Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling has been linked with Bayern Munich after turning down new contract…
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has rubbished reports linking winger Raheem Sterling with a move to German giants Bayern Munich, despite the winger turning down a new contract at the club.
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Reports in the Independent carry quotes from Rodgers, who claims he’s confident of keeping the 20-year-old winger, despite a £70,000-per-week deal being rejected by the player’s representatives.
The Northern Irishman told reporters: “We’re a club that is trying to build something here. We were on a path for a couple of years and unfortunately we’ve had to come off that path since the summer. We lost some players and we’re having to regroup again really.
“He [Raheem] is a real catalyst and a talisman for this team. I think he has been a great example of the progress that a lot of the players have made here, going from an 18-year-old player to being one of the top young players in English football.
“The club, I’m sure, will work very hard [to keep Sterling]. Raheem is happy here and he loves being a Liverpool player. So I’m sure that between them and his representatives we can get a deal done which will see him continue to develop what is an exciting career.”
Rodgers also criticised claims that Sterling’s performances have been negatively effected by matters off the field, claiming the youngster has been “absolutely outstanding” throughout a difficult season for his team.
“He’s the type of boy who leaves his representatives to work with the club in order to hopefully organise the deal for him,” Rodgers said. “He has no real influence in that.
“All I ever ask him to do is concentrate on football, concentrate on getting himself ready for training and the performances will come. He’s shown that consistently over this last period that he’s been a real, real threat and he’s a top young player.
“I’ll never be surprised that teams are linked with Raheem. He’s such a big talent and he’s just turned 20 years of age. He’s a wonderful young player and he’s a very mature young man. I’m quite relaxed about it.”
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