Raheem Sterling’s transfer saga at Liverpool has turned ugly, and former captain Steven Gerrard has aired his disapproval of the Englishman’s antics to force a move away from Anfield.
The 20-year-old attacker, after a breakout debut season with the Merseyside club in which they almost won the English Premier League, followed by an impressive 2014-15 campaign, is now ready to quit the club and join a more ambitious, competitive team.
However, the Reds are not willing to let their prized asset walk away, with rumors suggesting he favors a Manchester United switch.
This has led to a bitter transfer saga, which has even seen the player twice pull out of the squad citing “illness”, whilst also confessing to the manager his unwillingness to join their Asia and Australia pre-season tour.
As a result, Gerrard, having left Liverpool for MLS after a long, illustrious career at Anfield, has slammed Sterling, calling for him to “be a man”.
"I'm not happy with all that carry-on and I don't think there's any need for it. They all need to be men about the situation," Gerrard said.
"Raheem needs to go in and speak to the owners and to Brendan [Rodgers] himself, tell them what he wants and go about it that way. You don't have to throw illnesses in and refuse to go on tour.
"There are millions and millions of Liverpool fans around the world who are itching to see Raheem Sterling in a Liverpool kit. So I don't think it's fair on them if he is behaving like that."
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is not happy with Raheem Sterling & tells him to "be a man" #LFC
— Carl Clemente (@clemente_carl) July 10, 2015
Gerrard also right sterling needs to watch that he doesnt go else where and become a squad player rather than in first regular
— willy smith (@willylfc) July 10, 2015
Gerrard tells Raheem Sterling to 'be a man'. Sterling became a man the moment he had 3 children at the age of 19.
— Danny Welbeck (@WelBeast) July 10, 2015
Gerrard's comments on Sterling. "I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed." Quality dig across the pond #LFC
— Ian Brook (@brooklar) July 10, 2015
Gerrard: I don’t think it’s fair on the Liverpool fans if Sterling is behaving like that. #lfc
— Anfield HQ (@AnfieldHQ96) July 10, 2015
Absolute quality from Gerrard makes sterling look a right knob again.
— Ian (@charlie_red_0) July 10, 2015
Gerrard also called into questioning Raheem Sterling's professionalism, drawing comparison between him and current captain Jordan Henderson, saying:
"Raheem and Jordan are at different ends of the scale, Jordan's so professional, he's a winner, a great lad.
"I don't think there's a more fitting player to take that armband off me.
"I see a lot of my game in Jordan's game and what I like about him is he's very humble."
