Liverpool reject Manchester City’s second Sterling bid

Liverpool, United Kingdom: Liverpool rejected Manchester City’s second bid for Raheem Sterling and warned they will not accept any offers below their £50 million (Dh288 million) valuation for the winger.

City stepped up their pursuit of Sterling with a proposal worth £40 million after add-ons but it was turned down by Liverpool, though they are expecting a third offer later this month.

The Anfield club are determined to focus on their own squad rebuilding plans, with an £11 million bid for the Southampton defender Nathaniel Clyne expected this week.

Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, is also increasingly confident of wrapping up a deal worth a potential £7 million for the Charlton Athletic defender Joe Gomez before the weekend.

However, the saga surrounding Sterling is certain to roll on for the rest of the summer, even though sources close to the England international claimed City’s second bid will be their final offer.

Sterling, 20, emerged as one of Manuel Pellegrini’s leading summer transfer targets and the £40 million offer would have ensured he became the most expensive English player to sign for a Premier League club.

Yet Liverpool are continuing a hardline stance on the winger’s future despite their failure to secure Champions League football for next season. Sterling refused to sign a contract extension at Anfield but still has two years left on his existing deal, with Rodgers insisting he would not be sold this summer.

Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Arsenal have also shown interest in Sterling, yet the strict £50 million valuation is proving a deterrent.

City could return with another improved offer. Sources believe a third bid of £40 million plus an additional £5 million could even be enough to persuade Liverpool to reluctantly do business.

Sterling has made no secret of his desire to leave and said he was not a “money-grabbing 20-year-old” after rejecting a £100,000-a-week contract offer towards the end of last season.

Liverpool are turning their attentions towards player recruitment and are closing in on Clyne, after an initial £9 million bid for the England international was rejected. Clyne’s future at Southampton appears even more uncertain after Ronald Koeman completed the £3.5 million signing of the Portuguese right-back Cedric Soares, who also held talks with Stoke City.

Soares’ arrival from Sporting Lisbon will hasten Clyne’s exit and an improved offer of £11 million is expected from Liverpool in the next few days.

Rodgers is poised to sign Charlton’s highly-rated teenager Gomez, ahead of competition from Arsenal and Aston Villa. Charlton are seeking a fee of around £7 million.

Gomez, an England Under-19 international, is highly-rated by Rodgers and suggestions he will be instantly loaned out have been dismissed. Liverpool will make way for Gomez by sanctioning the sale of Sebastian Coates to Sunderland, following the Uruguayan’s loan spell at the Stadium of Light in the second half of last season.

— The Daily Telegraph