Raheem Sterling's future at Liverpool is in question, as the 20-year-old rejected a second contract extension from the club. To make matters worse, the Galacticos of Spain are sniffing around the England international. According to the Daily Express (via Goal Transfer Talk), Real Madrid are prepared to make an offer for Sterling.
Per the report, the bid is said to be in the neighborhood of €35 million.
Manager Brendan Rodgers, however, is not deterred. The Liverpool boss insists his young starlet is committed to the cause at Anfield.
"It is something the club are speaking with his representatives on and I would think that would be concluded very imminently," Rodgers said last week (via the Express). "The player is very happy. It [the delay] is nothing to do with Raheem. He wants to be here, so hopefully we get the solution on that very soon."
Having lost Luis Suarez to Barcelona following the 2014 World Cup, Liverpool can ill-afford to lose Sterling to the other half of the Spanish duopoly. Injuries to Daniel Sturridge [thigh] forced the pacey youngster atop Rodgers' newly adopted 3-4-2-1 system. Operating as a false nine, Sterling enters Tuesday's Capital One Cup semifinal with four goals and an average three take-ons.
Perhaps of more importance is the club's run of form during that stretch. After a sluggish start to the season, Rodgers and company are unbeaten in 10 matches (6-4-0).
In Sterling, Liverpool have an integral piece they simply cannot lose, regardless of any offer made by Real Madrid.
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
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