Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Raheem Sterling has told BBC Sport he is not a “money-grabbing 20-year-old” after confirming he has turned down a new £100,000-a-week Liverpool deal.
He also says he will not discuss a new contract with the Reds until the summer, no matter how big a deal he might be offered in the meantime.
“It’s not about the money at all,” the England forward said.
“It’s never been about money. I talk about winning trophies throughout my career. That’s all I talk about.”
He added: “I don’t talk about how many cars I’m going to drive, how many houses I’ve got. I just purely want to be the best I can be.”
Liverpool’s last piece of silverware came in 2012, when they beat Cardiff on penalties to win the League Cup.
Sterling, who joined the Reds from QPR in 2010, did not become a first-team regular until the following season.
“I don’t want to be perceived as a money-grabbing 20-year-old,” said the player, who has two years left on a contract worth £35,000 a week.
BBC sports correspondent Natalie Pirks: |
|---|
| “I’ve interviewed Raheem Sterling before and he comes across as quiet and considered, certainly shy around the television cameras. This time it was much the same, but I could sense palpable frustration at everything that has been said and written about him recently. More upsetting for him was the way some Liverpool fans now perceive him as a mercenary. He saw this interview as a chance to put the record straight.” |
“I just want to be seen as a kid who loves to play football and to do the best for the team.”
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said in February that Sterling had been offered an “incredible deal for a young player” but now accepts talks will have to wait until the summer.
“I am sure it will be resolved and the concentration for Raheem is now on his football and it is clear the terms of when those talks will begin again,” Rodgers said last month.
In the interview with the BBC, Sterling also said he would have accepted less than £100,000 a week had he been offered a new deal this time last year, when the Reds were chasing the Premier League title.
“If, at that point in time, I was offered a contract, I most definitely would have signed straight away, probably for far less money than being said now,” he said. “I just think the timing was a bit off.”
Sterling’s future has been a source of almost endless speculation, with stories tipping him for a move to Manchester City, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
“I try to kill it off, but I don’t think the public can see it that way,” Sterling said. “I think they just see it as this 20-year-old boy being greedy.
“I just want to take the time to think about what I’ve achieved in my career so far, where I need to go and what I need to do to get better as a player.”
Sterling said it was “quite flattering” to be linked with the Gunners, a team Liverpool visit in the Premier League on Saturday (kick-off 12:45 BST).
“I try to just block everything out and do well,” said Sterling, who has 14 England caps.
“Next game is against Arsenal and I want to do my best. I won’t be hiding. As I said, I’m just happy to be playing football.”
In his interview, Sterling said one of his targets for the remainder of the season was to help Liverpool win the FA Cup.
If they beat Blackburn in a replay next week, the Reds will face Aston Villa in the semi-finals at Wembley on 19 April.
Raheem Sterling exclusively told the BBC that he has already turned down an £100,000-a-week offer
“I want to win something at the end of the season and the FA Cup’s a great chance,” Sterling said.
Liverpool, who finished second to Manchester City in the Premier League last season, have already had to deal with the loss of two key players.
Striker Luis Suarez joined Barcelona last summer, while influential captain Steven Gerrard will leave the club at the end of the season.
The potential departure of Sterling, who scored his first senior goal for England in a 4-0 win over Lithuania in a Euro 2016 qualifier on Friday, would be another big blow.
“I just want to focus on football and, when it gets to the end of the season, assess my position as a 20-year-old player playing in the Premier League,” the Jamaican-born forward said.
BBC