According to the Times, Liverpool have rejected an opening bid of £30 million for Raheem Sterling from City, and although it was never likely to be accepted – with The Reds holding out for £50 million – it could spark a bidding war for the English attacker, with several of England’s top teams likely to be involved.
There were reports a few days prior to the bid that City officials had spoken to Liverpool officials at the Premier League AGM, and at that meeting they informed the Merseyside club they’d be making this initial bid, although they must have felt it was an ambitious attempt.
The offer was thought to consist of a basic £25 million fee plus another £5 million in bonuses, although the general consensus is that City may have to pay up to £50 million to get their man, who looks eager to depart from Anfield after a couple of successful years for him personally, gaining plaudits from around the football world. The Daily Mail believe City will return with another bid, as many would expect, but aren’t keen on having to meet Liverpool’s valuation.
However, it was assumed he would prefer a London club if he were to leave The Reds, for he grew up in London and started his path to becoming a footballer at Queens Park Rangers, before moving to Liverpool as a youngster. The interview his agent, Aidy Ward, did where he said his client wouldn’t accept £900k per week appeared in a London paper, and the England international is thought to have put his house in Southport up for sale.
With this initial bid now rejected, Sterling’s potential transfer – which could be anywhere including Chelsea, Arsenal or City, plus several high-level international clubs – could develop into one of the most protracted sagas of the summer.
