SOCCER-ENGLAND/LIVERPOOL-NEWSER STERLING Liverpool's Rodgers confirms agreement on Sterling transfer

Record ID: 147315

  • Title: SOCCER-ENGLAND/LIVERPOOL-NEWSER STERLING Liverpool's Rodgers confirms agreement on Sterling transfer
  • Date: 13th July 2015
  • Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (JULY 13, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** LIVERPOOL MANAGER, BRENDAN RODGERS, AND BRAZILIAN MIDFIELDER LUCAS LEIVA DOING A "WAI" (THAI GREETING GESTURE) ON STAGE JOURNALISTS TAKING PICTURES RODGERS TAKING A SEAT MEDIA FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, BRENDAN RODGERS, SAYING: "The situation is currently very, very
  • Embargoed: 28th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVADZZYQ0FQWYNHE8XRTSJDBSPN1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed the transfer of England international Raheem Sterling to a rival Premier League team, pending a medical test.
    British media reported on Sunday (July 12) that Liverpool had reached an agreement with Manchester City to transfer Sterling in a deal worth 49 million pounds ($76.07 million).
    It would make Sterling the most expensive English player ever, surpassing the 35 million pounds Liverpool paid Newcastle United for striker Andy Carroll in 2011.
    Rodgers, speaking at a news conference in Thailand on Monday (July 13) where Liverpool are kicking off their pre-season tour of Asia and Australia, did not provide any specific details on the winger's transfer but confirmed that an agreement had been reached.
    "The situation is very, very simple," Rodgers said. "The club has agreed with another club a deal for Raheem to be transferred and subject to medical that will go through," Rodgers said.
    City had two bids for Sterling rejected last month after he turned down a pay increase to stay at Liverpool.
    The 20-year-old did not fly out with Liverpool for their pre-season tour despite being named in the squad.
    Sterling signed for Liverpool as a 15-year-old from Queens Park Rangers in February 2010 and has made 129 appearances for the Anfield club, scoring 23 goals.
    But his relationship with Liverpool hit troubled waters in April when he denied being a "money-grabber" in an interview with the BBC, claiming he was motivated purely by ambition.
    Sterling's agent Aidy Ward also angered the club and its supporters in May by saying the England winger would not sign a new deal at Anfield -- even for 900,000 pounds ($1.40 million) a week.
    Rodgers, whose side finished sixth in the Premier League last season, was coy about the details, saying he was focussing on the players on the tour.
    "I think the key for us is the overall team that, that is important and I think, obviously of course, individuals like Raheem will have benefited from the team and we obviously aim to be much stronger and much more competitive than what we were last season. But that will be reliant on everyone," the Northern Irishman said.
    "It's only about the players that have travelled here. I spoke to Raheem at length again before I left yesterday, so there's no issue, there's no problem."
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