Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers on Raheem Sterling

Brendan Rodgers gives his input on the Raheem Sterling contract saga

The Liverpool manager gave a press conference in the lead up to his team’s game against Arsenal on Saturday. The Northern Irish man must have known that most questions would be related to his young forward rather than on the crucial upcoming game.

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Raheem Sterling gave an interview yesterday where he stated that he turned down a £100,000 contract, and won’t be discussing a new contract with Liverpool until the end of the season.

Rodgers was forced to deal with questions about said interview, and he told Sky Sports that Sterling didn’t have permission from the club to give the interview.

"“There was no permission (for the interview) from us. He will learn we all make mistakes in life, especially when you are young.”"

There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Sterling’s future with a lot of reports linking him with a move to Arsenal this summer. There are a lot of people forgetting that Sterling has a contract until 2017, which I know in this day and age doesn’t mean a lot. However here’s what it does mean;

Liverpool won’t be forced to sell him this summer.
Sterling will only be earning £35,000 a week for as long as this saga rages on.
Even if his contract runs out in 2017, Liverpool will still have to be compensated by the club who snatch him up because the player will still be under the age of 24.

Rodgers insisted that Sterling will not be sold this summer.

"“Raheem has two and a half years left on his deal and he’s not going anywhere in the summer. He’s quite relaxed, as I am, and he just wants to focus on the rest of the season.”"

Many people will be looking back at the Luis Suarez contract saga that seemed to rage on forever, when Rodgers and Liverpool repeatedly insisted he wouldn’t be leaving the club and we all know how that turned out. Here’s some differences between the two situations.

Raheem Sterling is only 20 years old, as a developing player, it’s in his best interest to stay in familiar surroundings.
Luis Suarez was considered one of the best five players in the world, and Barcelona are one of the top five clubs in the world. There was no keeping him once his mind was made up.
Luis Suarez had bitten Georgio Chiellini in the World Cup and was given a huge ban, it was time for Liverpool to cash in on an unhappy player.

"“If any player ever left here, whether it be Raheem or anyone else, it would always be on the terms of the football club. But that’s a long way off – for us it’s about continuing the nurturing and development of a young player who’s made huge strides.”"

Rodgers will have to field many more questions about his young starlet before the end off the season, and that’s sure to be very distracting for a team that are already in an uphill battle to secure Champions League football.

H/T Sky Sports

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