Ex- Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard has slammed Reds’ want-away starlet Raheem Sterling for his childish excuses and told him to man up.
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Sterling also does not want to travel for the tour of Asia and Australia.
Sterling is understood to have telephoned Rodgers on Monday to tell him he did not want to go on the pre-season tour.
But it remains to be seen if City value Sterling that highly or if they are willing to play a waiting game to see if Liverpool drop their price.
Where the club previously insisted Sterling would not be sold under any circumstances, there is now an understanding they will do business if a buyer, in this case City, comes close to matching their £50m valuation.
“I don’t think there’s a more fitting player to take that armband off me”.
Gerrard, speaking to Katie Gornall in a wide-ranging interview, said he could not see Sterling remaining at Anfield. It is very hard for me to support Raheem and the people around him for what they are trying to do with his contract and his career at a young age.
“It’ll be a awful shame if he goes somewhere and doesn’t kick on as a player”.
Balotelli has been left out along with Fabio Borini and Jose Enrique, with the trio due to continue their pre-season preparations at Melwood, although their absence raises questions over their futures with the club.
The message suggests that if the fans and club had shown Sterling love, as they do for him, the Man City target would have been loyal.
Add to this a squad already flush with top-level talent like Philippe Coutinho, Emre Can, Jordan Henderson, Daniel Sturridge, Jordon Ibe, Lazar Markovic, Adam Lallana, Joe Allen, Alberto Moreno and Simon Mignolet, and 2015/16 could be a great season for Liverpool.
Although Rodgers is building a creative unit to feed Liverpool’s forwards-with Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino potentially playing behind a lone striker next season-Sterling may feel success will be easier to achieve with a tried and tested formula like City’s.
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Rodgers says Henderson deserved the armband after showing the leadership qualities he needs. “It is a great honour and a huge privilege to be named as the captain of this football club”, Henderson told the club’s official website.
