Raheem Sterling turned down a £100,000 per week contract from Liverpool and is asking for £140,000 after being underpaid since he was 18, on a £30,000 per week contract, with others around him contributing less and earning more, according to Times Football editor Tony Evans.
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In a series of posts to his Twitter account, Evans also claimed that the figure asked for by the England and Liverpool winger was more than Daniel Sturridge is currently earning. Incidentally, Fenway Sports Group, current owners of the Anfield club, believe that Sturridge is the more vital asset to to the club’s success.
Regarding the future of Sterling – who is without doubt a huge asset to Liverpool – Evans states that FSG have no intention of selling the player, and will play hardball with any club making an approach for him, much like the negotiations over Luis Suarez’s transfer to Barcelona.
It was also revealed that a club likely to be interested would be current Premier League champions Manchester City, who will be on the lookout for young English players in the summer, seemingly to fulfil their homegrown player quota.
James Milner is out of contract this summer, meaning City will have major work to do if they are to adhere to homegrown requirements.