Summer Transfer Speculation and Shit.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

Sterling is just a kid and probably a bit thick. He's obviously been badly advised. Liverpool haven't handled the situation at all well, though.
The thing you have to remember is this is Liverpool. Always the victim. I doubt it's any kind of co-ordinated smear campaign, more just a general siege mentality.

More or less ... well the first bit anyway.

I'd have a little more sympathy if it weren't exactly the same tactic as with Berahino, for me that tips it more towards "agent is a prick" than "evil club tries to destroy young man's career". Ultimately if Sterling was unhappy about how this has panned out he'd have got rid of his agent and everything would be hunky dory, so I think it's fair to say the agent is doing what Sterling wants, if not necessarily in this manner.

As it is he's turned down £70k and £100k and (the totally, definitely untrue quotes) that he won't accept anything mean he's as good as gone this window. In the summer of 2014 he still had 3 years left on his contract so it's not as if we were playing it close to the wire. The Times are reporting we've already rejected a bid from City, so expect that one to run all summer. Yay!

Also, it's bin dippers or redshite. Red dippers just sounds .

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Hmm not sure i totally agree, I think Agent's put ideas in players' heads.....you can imagine it "Raheem they are taking the piss out of you, you are one of the rising stars in Europe and offering you 100k a week....you need to go to a bigger club you're a big fish in a small pond...guy of your talent should be playing in Champions League finals"
Of course there is the option for Sterling to dismiss this and say "I am where i am because of Liverpool, I owe it to them to repay their faith in me" etc etc and all that, but instead lots of ego, not a lot of brains....buys into his own hype and thinks "I'm a superstar and should be playing for Top European club"....

I'm not saying Sterling is not to blame, but i'd be surprised if the seed wasn't planted by the Agent in the first place.

[Munchies]

Raheem Sterling: Liverpool reject £25m Manchester City bid
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33104367

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He'll end up going for near 40 I think.

No team other than City will stump that much for him

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Hmm not sure i totally agree, I think Agent's put ideas in players' heads.....you can imagine it "Raheem they are taking the piss out of you, you are one of the rising stars in Europe and offering you 100k a week....you need to go to a bigger club you're a big fish in a small pond...guy of your talent should be playing in Champions League finals"
Of course there is the option for Sterling to dismiss this and say "I am where i am because of Liverpool, I owe it to them to repay their faith in me" etc etc and all that, but instead lots of ego, not a lot of brains....buys into his own hype and thinks "I'm a superstar and should be playing for Top European club"....

I'm not saying Sterling is not to blame, but i'd be surprised if the seed wasn't planted by the Agent in the first place.

Oh definitely. He's been his agent for years so Sterling obviously trusts him and takes his advice, but whether it's the agent's doing or not I think it's probably what the player wants.

I think we'll want even more than £40m though. QPR have their sell on and everyone knows City are hardly poor and could do with some young English blood. Long story short, 100 BILLION DOLLARS!

[Niall_Quinn]

Supposedly Jackson Martinez is off to one of the Milan clubs.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

As Herbert Sherbet says I think the agent has planted the seed.....and why wouldn't he...it's in his fiscal interests too. Rodgers Brent then comes along and wheels out his line about being the best young talent in Europe to strengthen Sterling's position.

Sterling I should say, is, a long guy but he is not on some YTS contract. He is earning a man's living, moreover a pro ballers wages. If he thinks his agent isn't toeing the line then he should either sack his agent or gag him. Unless of course your agent is family, in which case the best interests of the player should come to the fore. If agent continues to come out with all sorts of peculiar comments, then we are increasingly led to assume that his agent is simply peddling the company line......the company that is Sterling Ltd.

I don't think Liverpool have handled it that badly AFTER failing to offer him the contract last season. It seems he made up his mind he didn't want to stay long ago, so whatever Liverpool do now probably makes little difference. In a cynical and underhanded way they may as well make it look like the player is being totally unreasonable.

As far as the player is concerned, if the average football fan thinks Liverpool will neither challenge for the title, top 4, nor CL in the next 5 years (and I am not saying that IS the affirmed view) then it's not unreasonable to think Sterling and his agent believe this too.

Sterling hasn't acted beyond reproach and I feel sorry for Liverpool to a degree but if the player thinks he can do better and ultimately honours his contract....what are you going to do?

[Globalgunner]

Supposedly Jackson Martinez is off to one of the Milan clubs.

He wouldn't have improved us by any great degree. We need to go better, or not at all. It would be better if we could get Wright or Bergkamp or Henry to come and work with our current bunch and get some value from them. We just cant keep adding averageness. Then of course there is Sanogo? What do you do with a problem like Sanogo?

[Niall_Quinn]

He wouldn't have improved us by any great degree. We need to go better, or not at all. It would be better if we could get Wright or Bergkamp or Henry to come and work with our current bunch and get some value from them. We just cant keep adding averageness. Then of course there is Sanogo? What do you do with a problem like Sanogo?

Just relaying the latest about one of our supposed top targets. I don't think he'd improve us either, I think there are very few strikers out there right now who could move us on and from what I can see none of them are available. What might improve us is the manager becoming more adventurous with what we already have. Giroud, Walcott and Alexis used properly based on the opponent, sometimes one up top, sometimes two, on occasion and when warranted even three. With the arrival of Alexis we've at least moved on from the anyone will do position we found ourselves in when Sanogo was actually getting games. Unfortunate for him, a raw kid being thrown in at the deep end. But that's our manager - overlooks Coquelin so he can concentrate on a novice who can barely play the game.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Jackson Martinez turns 29 in two months. Not worth it tbh and Wenger's never going to splash the cash on a 29 year old unless they were a Messi or Ronaldo. Surprised that he's going to a Milan club though - they don't have the cash.

Much rather go all in for Lacazette when the time comes.

[GP]

I do like the look of tape cassette. Lots of potential there.