Raheem Sterling holds cards in Liverpool contract negotiations, says Matt Law
Sunday 22 February 2015 14:53, UK
Journalist Matt Law says Brendan Rodgers has made a rod for his own back by calling Raheem Sterling ‘the best young player in Europe’, meaning he now must be paid accordingly.
Sterling’s current contract expires in 2017 and the 20-year-old has yet to agree terms over a new deal despite months of negotiations.
I don’t know what he wants but I imagine it’s north of £100,000 per week.... At other clubs he could earn double that
Rodgers insists Sterling has been offered an “incredible deal” by the club but Law thinks the manager has put the ball firmly in Sterling’s court by going on record to say the player is the "best young player in European football".
“I think Brendan Rodgers has given himself a bit of a problem,” he said on Sunday Supplement.
“If you come out and say big statements like, ‘he’s the best young player in Europe’ then understandably the agent will say, ‘we want the highest salary for the best young player in Europe’.
“Clearly Liverpool don’t want to pay him that.
“It reminds me a lot of Theo Walcott at Arsenal and his last two contracts and that stand-off.
“It’s hard to categorically fall on one side, but if you value him as your best player then you have to pay him like that – right or wrong, that’s the way of the world now.
“The fact of the matter is there are other clubs out there that will pay Sterling what he wants, therefore Liverpool, if they want to keep him, have no choice but to pay him that.
“I don’t know what he wants but I imagine it’s north of £100,000 per week because now if you are a certain size of club that is the starting point for the better players. At other clubs he could earn double that.”
Law also believes the outcome of the negotiations will be a big pointer to whether Liverpool are serious about competing with some of the richest clubs in the world.
“I think it’s a big moment for Liverpool,” he said.
“It’s been a long time since they went up against the really rich clubs and got a player ahead of them. They obviously lost Alexis Sanchez to Arsenal – (Luis) Suarez went to Barcelona.
"Other than Steven Gerrard they’ve lost players to other clubs. If on this one and they don’t pay Sterling and he goes to a different club it’s greater proof that they are operating a very high level but not the highest level.”
