Brendan Rodgers has said he expects Raheem Sterling to continue to play for Liverpool for the final two years of his contract, despite the furore surrounding the England winger’s future.
Sterling’s agent, Aidy Ward, was quoted on Thursday as saying his client would not sign a contact at Liverpool “for £700,000, £800,000, £900,000 a week”, with the comments prompting the club to cancel talks due to take place on Friday.
However, Rodgers insists there has been no breakdown in relationship between him and Sterling. “Raheem has two years left and I expect him to see that two years through and continue to behave as immaculately as he has done,” he said. “We want to resolve the situation but it doesn’t change my approach to him. There is no problem there,” he added.
With 25 months left on Sterling’s deal, worth 35,000-a-week, Liverpool seem prepared to play hard ball in the knowledge the player stands to lose up to £12m in earnings if he sticks to his agent’s promise not to sign a new contract.
Rodgers also said he had confidence in the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, to make the right decision over Sterling’s future.
“They took over a club a number of years ago that was in a really critical situation and they have done an incredible job to stabilise the club and point it in the right direction,” he said. “At every opportunity when they have had to show that strength - whether it be with a player or other elements of the club - they have done that. In this situation they will show that power and strength again.”
Rodgers confirmed Sterling is fit and available for Liverpool’s trip to Stoke on Sunday but Mario Balotelli is a doubt.
