Raheem Sterling: 'I don't want to be perceived as a money-grabbing 20-year-old!'

Posted Thursday, April 02, 2015 by Talksport.co.uk

Liverpool star Raheem Sterling insists he is not a 'money grabbing 20-year-old' amid stumbling negotiations over an extended deal at Anfield.

Reds' manager Brendan Rodgers described an offer Sterling turned down earlier this season, believed to be £100,000-a-week, as 'incredible' as the Merseyside outfit attempt to tie down one of their most valuable assets.

The Jamaican-born winger still has more than two years to run on his current £35,000-a-week deal at Liverpool but has put extension talks on hold until the end of the season.

“I don't want to be perceived as a money-grabbing 20-year-old. I just want to be seen as a kid that loves to play football.” Sterling told BBC sport."

"It is about winning trophies throughout your career; I don't talk about how many cars I will drive or how many houses I've got. It is flattering to get a huge contract [offer]. I just purely want to be the best I can be."

Sterling is Liverpool's top scorer in the Premier League this season and is attracting interest from domestic suitors and abroad, including the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Bayern Munich.

The Reds have received criticism in their handling of Steven Gerrard's contract this season, with the talismanic skipper leaving for LA Galaxy in the summer as a result, and Sterling revealed he would have put pen to paper had the offer arrived last summer.

The winger said: "If, at that point in time, I was offered a contract, I most definitely would have signed straight away, probably for far less money than being said now."

"I just think the timing was a bit off. It has been a bit much for me this season with everyone talking about it every minute."