COLUMN: Liverpool should be laughing all the way to the bank as they get set to flog £49m star Raheem Sterling
Let’s look at the bare facts.
Sterling is 20 years old.
He hasn’t even played 100 senior games.
He has no trophies or honours under his belt - unless you count winning the Young Player of the Year at Liverpool as a worthy honour.
His performances last season waned considerably and his mannerisms and demeanour stink of a player who has been taking too much notice of pushy agents.
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Hide AdIf Sterling wasn’t English then we certainly wouldn’t be talking about the type of astronomical transfer fee that City are currently preparing to pay.
From Liverpool’s point of view Sterling should not be seen as a major miss.
Yes he had a good season, maybe season-and-a-half, but nobody is irreplaceable.
The club has done exceptionally well to recoup nearly £50m for a player who has effectively achieved nothing in his short career so far.
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Hide AdThe similar fees they received for Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez were warranted by those two’s goals and their level of performances in a Reds’ shirt over a number of seasons.
Sterling may well prove to be a flash in the pan and for City’s sake they hope that won’t be the case.
However, he is following in the footsteps of a number of bright young English talents who saw their dream move to the Etihad turn sour - Jack Rodwell and Scott Sinclair to name but two.
In fact, Liverpool have arguably pulled off two brilliant bits of business this summer.
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Hide AdNot only receiving the huge amount from Manuel Pellegrini’s side for Sterling, but also bagging James Milner on a free.
Milner might not be a glamour player - far from it, some would suggest.
But he is the epitome of a workhorse and to get him for absolutely nothing could prove to be one of the signings of the season for a Reds team in dire need of big-game players.
In the heat of the battle, I know who I’d want on my team.