File picture of Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling.
DPA/London
Former Liverpool players Jamie Carragher and John Barnes have called on Raheem Sterling to stay with the club, amid reports the England forward is to demand his departure this summer.
Widespread reports on Monday night said Sterling will tell Liverpool in a meeting later this week that he wants to move on.
The 20-year-old still has two years left to go on his contract but missing out on a Champions League place seems to have convinced him it is time to move on. Liverpool are fifth ahead of the final round Sunday.
But Carragher, who played with Sterling at Liverpool, said he should stay and pointed the blame firmly at his agent, Aidy Ward.
“Raheem Sterling is a great kid,” Carragher told Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football. “He’s not some flash young kid. He’s not loud, he’s not in people’s faces. He loves his football.
“He needs to change his agent. That’s the one thing he needs to change.
“For a 20-year-old kid to be taking on Liverpool Football Club, there’s nothing worse.”
Carragher said Sterling owed it to Liverpool to stay, not least because he had “gone missing” in the biggest games this season.
“Last season at Liverpool he was fantastic,” he said. “Liverpool had a chance at a trophy this season. Where was Raheem Sterling?
“If you want trophies and big money they won’t be given to you, you have to earn them. What did Liverpool win this year? Nothing.
“You’ve got to play well in big games. The (FA Cup) semi-final against Aston Villa was the worst game I’ve seen in a big game from a Liverpool team.
“You want to win trophies - the semi-final is the biggest game in the season for Liverpool and Raheem Sterling did nothing.
“If you want to win trophies you have to perform at the highest level. If you want to win trophies you have to deliver in the big games and he hasn’t done that yet.
“Keep your mouth shut and get on with playing football. He’ll move on in years to come but how will he be thought of for the rest of his career?
“You’ve got to think about how you will be thought of, as well as just your ability. And it’s about time his agent stopped leaking stories, never mind the football club leaking stories.
“He doesn’t need to move clubs in my opinion,” he added. “For his football development, he needs to stay at Liverpool. He plays every week.”
Carragher said Sterling should be “embarrassed” when he walks into training on Tuesday.
Former Liverpool winger Barnes told BBC Radio 5 Live he believes Sterling should stay.
“He is only 20 and has not achieved anything, he has not won anything,” Barnes said. “The time is not right for him to move, but if he wants to move the club should sell him.
“If he goes to Manchester City, to give himself a chance of winning the league, he will not become a regular for them. We have seen it with players in the past like Scott Sinclair.”
