MACCSFIELD AND MAN.U IN RACE TO SIGN RAHEEM STERLING
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BY TIM PARSONS
Liverpool have rejected an offer of 25m pounds plus ‘add ons’ from Manchester City for Raheem Sterling.
Sterling was only recently valued at nearly 60m pounds by a football research agency, it is unsurprising that they have refused the offer to snap up the striker who has been the subject of much interest and speculation in recent weeks. The young 20 year old still has two years before the completion of his contract with Liverpool, who rate Sterling at about 50m pounds, will most likely have a much higher asking price to contemplate any move . Liverpool manager Brendon Rogers does not really want Sterling to leave the club, though Michael Owns has expressed the view that Sterling is replaceable. However, Manchester City have recently suggested tat they would raise their offer to 40 m pounds in the next couple of days.
Meanwhile, Maaclesfield are desperately looking to eclipse that offer with a more tempting one of 40m, and have appealed for donations via their twitter page. Sterling, who came to came to Britain at the young age of 7, was initially bought for the far less price of 600,000 pounds from the Queens Park Rangers Academy and has since been a star deliverer for the club. By the end of 2014, he had made 100 appearances for the club, and has the accolade of being awarded the ‘golden boys award’. The golden boys award was established by Tattosport, an Italian newspaper for young footballers in Europe, perceived to be the most impressive player.
Sterling has come a long way from his footballing conquests at youth level, and has seen his worth elevated tremendously over the years. Chaiman of Manchester City, Khaldoon al Mubarak told reporters that Manchester are a club of ”quality players that can compete head to head with any club”, and that the team want to get the best team mix to take the club to the next level, thereby building a squad capable of winning the Premiere league.
However, it seems it might be a game of the highest bidder for highly demanded left winger whose handlers still have higher ambitions for the red ace. Liverpool are known to sometimes take a shrewd approach to offers for their players. In 2013 attempts by Arsenal to sign exceptional talent, Luiz Suarez for 40m pounds were shunned by Liverpool who later accepted a record offer 75m for the same Suarez, offered and paid this time by Barcelona. The eventual deal far eclipsed the 40 m pounds rejected 2 years earlier. There is clearly a rationale to the continuous rejection of offers for Sterling. The club are waiting for their asking price of 50m pounds, although Sterling’s agent Andy Ward was last month insistent that Sterling was not going to be released from Liverpool for any price.
Ward’s comments have generally been viewed by observers and those in football circles as arrogant. Sterling is good, but no where comparable with the fantastic Suarez or any of the football heroes of old and present, including Pele, Maradona, Ronaldinio, Ronaldo, and many more. Sterling has definitely achieved a lot in his career so far, but still has a way to go to match the reputation and quality of some of the football legends on the lips of most har core fans.
