Liverpool could hijack Chelsea's bid for unsettled on-loan Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao, 29.
(Daily Star)
Raheem Sterling: Liverpool reject £25m Manchester City bid
By Simon Stone BBC Sport
Liverpool have turned down a bid of £25m plus add-ons from Manchester City for midfielder Raheem Sterling.
The Reds value the England international, who has also been linked with Arsenal and Real Madrid, at £50m.
The 20-year-old joined Liverpool from QPR in 2010 and is under contract until 2017, but has
rejected the offer of a new £100,000-a-week deal.
Boss Brendan Rodgers
said last month he expected Sterling to stay at Anfield for the remainder of his current deal.
The bid comes a day after City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak pledged to
invest in players this summer.
"You will see us in the market bringing in high-quality individuals that fit within what we are aspiring to," he said.
.
Archive: Sterling not 'money-grabbing 20-year-old'
"We want a squad which is able and has the capability and quality to win the Premier League, to compete and win the Champions League and be able to go all the way in two cup competitions in England."
Meanwhile, City and England goalkeeper Joe Hart believes his club are planning to buy British this summer to avoid breaking Uefa competition
rules which require a quota of home-grown players in each squad.
Hart is the only Englishman left in the City first-team squad following the departures of Frank Lampard and James Milner.
"I am not in the discussions of transfers, but after losing Frank and James, I imagine with home-grown rules, it will be top of their list to bring in English players or to promote some of the young lads," he said.
Sterling was an influential figure as Liverpool came close to winning the Premier League in 2013-14, eventually finishing two points behind champions City.
But the Merseysiders appeared unsettled last season, finishing sixth in the table.
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said Sterling had the chance to become the club's
"number one player" by committing his future to the Reds.
Sterling was booed by sections of the crowd at last weekend's international in Dublin as England drew with Republic of Ireland.
Aside from the links with City, new Real Madrid boss Rafael Benitez admitted he
"admires" Sterling at the news conference to confirm his appointment.
Earlier this week former Reds striker John Aldridge was critical of Sterling's agent Aidy Ward, who reportedly said last month that his player would
not sign a new deal at Anfield even it was worth "£900,000 a week".
He told BBC Radio 5 live: 'The way he has gone about handling the situation with Raheem is pathetic."
Liverpool are expected to complete the signing of Bolton goalkeeper Adam Bogdan, 27, in the coming days. (Liverpool Echo)
Liverpool are attempting to hijack
Chelsea’s move for United flop Radamel Falcao.
Starsport understand that Falcao might prefer to join the Reds instead of Chelsea, despite the fact they are in the Europa League next season.
Kop boss Brendan Rodgers is desperate to add some new firepower to his misfiring squad this summer and is keen on luring the Colombian flop to Anfield.
But he will have to go head-to-head with former mentor Jose Mourinho for the Monaco hitman
Manchester United? NEVER! Martin Skrtel rules out Old Trafford as defender says he could leave Liverpool