Former Manchester United coach Phil Neville has advised Liverpool star Raheem Sterling for focusing too much on his contract situation.
The England international has over two years left on his contract at Anfield. The Telegraph had earlier reported that the winger had turned down the Reds’ offer of a pay-rise of £40,000-a-week.
However, the former United player and coach has urged Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers to have a conversation regarding the player’s contract situation. Also, Neville believes Sterling should focus on his performance on the pitch and should display skills which will yield him a new deal.
“If I was Brendan Rodgers, I would be sitting Raheem Sterling down today. It’s a great lesson for younger players: I keep reading about how Raheem Sterling wants a new contract, maybe Real Madrid want to buy him,” Neville told Five Live.
“If you want a new contract, and you want to go to Real Madrid, the best way to get that move or that contract is to go out and score a hat-trick at Old Trafford like he should have done on Sunday.”
“I keep saying I think Raheem Sterling is a brilliant talent, a wonderful player, but I think he needs to sit down with his agent and say ‘you do your job on the contract, I’ll do my job on the field’ because in football, it’s on the field where you’ve got to start doing your job.
“At such a young age, he’s got to be distracted [by the contract talks]. He’s come off a wonderful season last year, he played brilliantly at the World Cup and then he’s come back and all of a sudden there’s extra pressure on because he’s not being talked about for his footballing ability, he’s being talked about because of his contract situation and how much money he wants, how he’s turned down offers, how Real Madrid want him. These are things not being put out by Liverpool, not being put out by Sterling, but by his agent.
“If I was him, I would have a quiet word with my agent and say ‘Until I do my bit on the field, I’d shut up’,” the former United coach concluded.
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