Liverpool face a massive battle to persuade Raheem Sterling to sign an extension to his £30,000-a-week contract at Anfield.
Although
Sterling has more than two years left on his deal, Liverpool are ready
to open talks on an improved contract. Sterling, 19, earns £1.5million a
year basic at Anfield and it is topped up with various appearance
bonuses based on first-team football, but he is no rush to commit to a
new contract.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers also has an issue with Mario Balotelli. He says the striker needs to start scoring and fast.
Liverpool are facing a battle to persuade Raheem Sterling (right) to sign a contract extension
Sterling (right) is in no rush to extend his £30,000-a-week contract which lasts until 2017
Rodgers
said: ‘In terms of goals, he needs to improve, it is as simple as that.
Any striker — not just him — is judged on his goals and the number of
assists he makes. At this moment, he has not hit the numbers he will
have wanted.’
Rodgers
knows that Sterling, who has scored three times in the Barclays Premier
League this season, is one of the biggest teenage talents in the game.
Liverpool have struggled to get going this season following the
departure of Luis Suarez for Barcelona and they have already been beaten
four times.
Rodgers
is a firm believer in rewarding progress with incremental increases to
contracts for young players, but Liverpool are now competing at the very
highest level.
Rodgers has claimed that £16million striker Mario Balotelli (right) 'needs to improve'
Rodgers fears players can fall into a comfort zone when they are rewarded with massive pay rises after showing some promise.
Manchester
United left back Luke Shaw, 19, signed a five-year contract worth a
staggering £90,000-a-week when he moved from Southampton. Central
defender Calum Chambers, also 19, is paid £40,000-a-week by Arsenal
following his high-profile summer move from St Mary’s.
Shaw
has yet to establish himself at United and was dropped to the England
Under 21 squad yesterday for the European Championship play-off against
Croatia.
Balotelli (above) has scored just one goal since joining Liverpool in the summer
On
Thursday, England’s head coach Roy Hodgson claimed Sterling was one of
the best players in the country after naming his squad for the Euro 2016
qualifiers against San Marino and Estonia.
Sterling
is a huge part of Liverpool’s team and they are becoming increasingly
reliant on the former QPR forward in the absence of Suarez and injured
striker Daniel Sturridge.
Manchester United left back Luke Shaw signed a five-year contract worth a staggering £90,000-a-week
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