Liverpool have reached an agreement with Manchester City over the £49m transfer of Raheem Sterling. The transfer of the 20-year-old England winger is subject to contract negotiations and a medical.
Sterling had asked to leave Anfield and was the subject of two bids from City in June, which were rejected.
The forward, who will become the most expensive English player ever, is under contract until 2017, but turned down a new £100,000-a-week deal at Liverpool. Sterling was signed by Liverpool as a 15-year-old from QPR in February 2010 and the Loftus Road club will receive 20% of any fee the Reds get for the forward. On Saturday, Sterling was named on a 30-man list for the tour of Thailand, Australia and Malaysia, but was then withdrawn. Several former Liverpool players have criticised the player since he told manager Brendan Rodgers and chief executive Ian Ayre he wanted to leave the club this summer.
Former captain Steven Gerrard said he was “disappointed” in the England international. “You don’t have to throw in illness, or refuse to go on tour,” LA Galaxy midfielder Gerrard added. “The fans have shown him great support, they want him to stay and I believe that he should too.”
However, it is understood the Reds decided to leave him out of the tour after the player reported for duty. A recent study ranked Sterling as the most valuable young player in Europe, ahead of Paris St-Germain defender Marquinhos and Manchester United’s recently acquired Dutch striker Memphis Depay.
Source: BBC
