Is this the best-case scenario for Liverpool and their £50m man?
With every passing day, the likelihood of Liverpool selling wantaway winger Raheem Sterling only grows stronger.
The England international’s lengthy contract saga, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the 2016/17 campaign, is no great secret, but it can be summarised by three major stories from the last three months. In April, Sterling revealed in a candid interview with BBC Sport that he’d already rejected a £100k per-week offer from the Anfield outfit. In May, renegade agent Aidy Ward claimed the 20 year-old wouldn’t pen extended terms ‘even for £900k per-week’, whilst also branding Anfield legend-turned-pundit Jamie Carragher a ‘knob’. And yesterday evening, Liverpool reportedly turned down a £25million bid for Sterling from Manchester City.
The Citizens’ failed swoop appears to be a statement of intent more than anything else. Liverpool’s alleged £50million valuation of the prodigious winger has been adopted by so many tabloids and websites that it must have some validation somewhere along the line, which City must be well aware of. Not that they’re the only club apparently in for Sterling; Arsenal, Chelsea and even Manchester United have all been linked over the last few months.
The vultures are circling closer and closer, sensing the weakness of their transfer prey, and at this point Sterling’s move away from Merseyside seems inevitable. It’s now a question of best-case scenarios for Liverpool; commanding a lucrative enough fee that saves them face, compensates for the displeasure of watching Sterling claim trophies at a rival club and allows them to source an adequate, equally talismanic replacement.
At which point, I turn your attentions to Real Madrid – long-term admirers of the Three Lions prodigy who haven’t been linked with him as prevalently as his Premier League suitors over the last few weeks. In my opinion, shipping the 20 year-old off to the Bernabeu this summer is the best realistic outcome Brendan Rodgers’ side can hope for.
Of course, the obvious benefit is that Sterling will no longer be in the same division, meaning Liverpool won’t have to be reminded of how they were forced to cash in on their most promising talent prematurely during every instalment of Match of the Day – not to mention the two occasions per season when he’ll face his former club in the Premier League.
But it also gives Liverpool the luxury of spinning the story a little bit; the idea that Sterling didn’t leave them for just anybody – the first club to come along and flutter their eyelids at him – but one of the largest, most prestigious and successful institutions in the history of European football. Even the most militant of Kopites will be open to admitting Liverpool are a few shades shy of the La Liga giants in terms of global standing.
Perhaps most important of all, however, is the fact Real Madrid throw around more dollar bills than Charlie Sheen in a strip club. Last summer, they splashed out £65million on James Rodriguez purely based on his form at the 2014 World Cup and the year before they broke the world-record transfer fee for Gareth Bale, a player who – by in large – had only really demonstrated consistent world-class quality for a single season in the Premier League.
Whoever’s in vogue, Real Madrid feel compelled to get their hands on; a combination of their renowned ‘Galacticos’ policy and the populist platforms upon which their presidential elections are run. So with a new manager arriving in Rafa Benitez, coincidentally enough one of the most successful managers in recent Liverpool history who admitted his ‘admiration’ for Sterling last week, logic suggests Los Blancos will be on the prowl for new talent this summer, especially of the youthful variety.
They’ve already wrapped up deals for two of Brazil’s most exciting youngsters in 23 year-old midfielder Casemiro (bought back from FC Porto) and Dani Alves’ successor to the right-back throne, Danilo. Interestingly enough, Benitez’ rumoured plans to utilise Cristiano Ronaldo as a centre-forward next season leaves a Sterling-shaped hole in their starting Xi.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
But if there’s one lingering concern, it’s that Sterling isn’t quite in vogue as he was six months ago, when announced as Europe’s Golden Boy for 2014. Back then, he was Liverpool’s front-man and producing match-winning displays on a regular basis. Since his contract dispute unearthed, however, Brendan Rodgers has reduced him to considerably less exciting role of right wing-back, whilst all the negative press has undoubtedly impacted the attacker’s form, scoring just once in his last eleven Premier League outings.
If Real Madrid’s interest proves to be genuine, however, Liverpool must capitalise on it. At this point, it’s the only ending to the lengthy contract saga that doesn’t conclude on a completely sour note.
[ad_pod id=’ricco’ align=’center’]