adminLONDON. — Raheem Sterling was wrong. His future is all about money. Only now what already feels like the transfer saga of the summer seems to hinge on how much Liverpool can get out of a club, or clubs, for the attacker, not how much the attacker can get out of them. Manchester City’s opening gambit of £25m, plus £5m in add-ons, for Sterling was tabled in the understanding it was doomed to fail.
Liverpool rejected the bid, but their stance no longer seems as steadfast as it once was. It is now about crunching numbers.
On the morning of May 1, when Sterling lined-up to face QPR, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insisted the England star would not be leaving come what may this summer. Whether he signed a new deal or not.
“We’ve made that clear from the beginning and the owners are very much supportive of that,” said Rodgers. “Raheem won’t be going anywhere this summer, even if there’s not a deal agreed. Look, everyone wants to win trophies, everyone wants to play in the big competitions; but it’s also important that you have the opportunity to do that.
“So we’ll just be reinforcing our stance that’s been in place all the way along — that this is the best club for him at this moment where he’s got the opportunity to play and to fight and be competitive.”
There is a huge difference between “won’t be going anywhere” and the reality that an offer of £50m would probably seal the deal. It represents a shift and a climb-down even if there are plenty of supporters who would consider £30m good money for the player.
And if, in the second week of June, that is the new position where will it be by the end of August? £45m? An undisclosed fee plus Edin Dzeko as part exchange? — The Daily Express.
Online Reporter