Published 16:29 IST, March 26th 2020
Liverpool former boss claims Sterling's £49 million move to Man City 'wasn't about money'
Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted that money was never a motivating factor for Raheem Sterling to join title rivals Manchester City in 2015.
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Former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed that the move for Raheem Sterling to Man City was not all about the money. Back in the summer of 2015, Liverpool decided to offload Raheem Sterling as Man City were prepared to break the transfer record for an English player. Man City was setback £49 million for the transfer of Raheem Sterling from Liverpool.
Raheem Sterling switches Liverpool for Man City
A young English boy with Jamaican heritage was destined to become a success at Liverpool. Brendan Rodgers was in charge of Liverpool at the time, handing Raheem Sterling his debut as a 17-year-old. An impressive few seasons under the Northern Irishman saw Sterling become a key member for Liverpool as he scored 23 goals in 129 appearances. At such a tender age, Liverpool were aware of the talent Sterling possessed and decided to offer him a bumper new deal. However, to the devastation of the Anfield faithful, Raheem Sterling turned down the contract at the time to in exchange for a move to Man City.
Brendan Rodgers reveals the truth behind Sterling transfer
While Liverpool fans were counting on Brendan Rodgers to convince Raheem Sterling to stay at Liverpool with the pay hike, the 47-year-old has stated that Sterling was never interested in the money. While speaking to Liverpool Echo, Rodgers heaped praise on Sterling claiming that the winger knew what he wanted at such a young age. Becoming a winner and playing alongside global superstars was more important for Sterling rather than the money offered from Liverpool.
"If it was about money, he could have stayed at Liverpool." 👀
— Goal News (@GoalNews) March 26, 2020
Premier League superstar Raheem Sterling
Fiver years on, Sterling has won two Premier League titles and plays an integral role for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Rodgers believes without Sterling, Guardiola's Man City are not the same force and that is testament to how imperative a player the 25-year-old has become. Sterling has already netted 20 times across all competitions this season but has failed to find score since the start of 2020.
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16:29 IST, March 26th 2020