Captain in waiting Jordan Henderson became the latest high profile Liverpool star to put pen to paper on a new contract with a lucrative five year deal finalized on Thursday and the 24-year old has urged Raheem Sterling to follow suit and commit his long-term future to the Anfield outfit.
“I’ve known Raheem for a good few years now. He is a good friend of mine and my team-mate. He has just got to do whatever he thinks is best but, if I was giving him advice, of course I would say: ‘This is Liverpool’. I think this is the best place for him,” said the influential Reds midfielder when asked about the future of the 19-year old. “But at the end of the day that decision is up to him. He is a fantastic player for us.
Sterling has delayed contract talks until the end of the season with the youngster confirming in a far reching interview with the BBC that he has already turned down one offer from the club that would have seen him snag a salary of £100,000 per week. Saying that trophies motivated him far more than money, the 20-year old has refused to let criticism of him from the media and even some sections of the Reds support get to him, instead saying that he’s ignoring all the negativity surrounding him. With a mere six matches left to play, Liverpool have been left looking up the table with a place in next seasons Champions League looking less and less likely.
Whether or not they’ll be playing in Europe next year could very well have a massive impact on Sterling’s decision to stay at Anfield, but Henderson was quick to point to other key players pledging their future to the cause to remind the youngster that Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is building the kind of time any player would want to play in. “I hope he stays here and develops with us. He will be a big part of what we are looking to do,” continued the Reds vice-captain. “Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho have committed as well. They have made a statement because they are two top players. If we can get a few more done before the end of the season, I really believe we have got a chance of doing something special.”
