12 Aug 2014

Anfield Alert: Redknapp claims Real Madrid will try and sign 'powerhouse' £20m LFC star 'in a year or two'

At the tender age of 19, Liverpool starlet Raheem Sterling is already an integral part of Brendan Rodgers' team, and given his regular excellent performances, it's likely he'll remain a fixture in the first XI for the foreseeable future. Until, that is, he starts to attract the attention of Europe's big guns, and former LFC midfielder Jamie Redknapp believes it's only a matter of time before Real Madrid enter the fray.

In his column for the Daily Mail this week, Redknapp described Sterling as an 'explosive powerhouse', and predicted that Liverpool will soon face a battle to keep him at Anfield. He explained:

"I expect this brilliant kid [Sterling] to be another player Real Madrid will be chasing in a year or two".

Redknapp is probably right; Sterling fits the profile of the kind of attacking player Real Madrid usually pursue, and when the time comes, it will be very difficult for the Reds to hold onto him, especially if Los Blancos offer a Gareth Bale-esque transfer fee.

In my view, though, there's still way too much hype over Sterling, and if he continues to play well, it will spiral out of control, which could be counter-productive.

Redknapp also argued that Sterling - - rated at £20m by Reds legend John Aldridge - needs to improve in one specific area:

"Sterling is lightning quick, too, but needs to score more goals. The challenge will be for him to hit double figures as he continues his rapid rise".

Whilst it will be beneficial for Sterling to score more goals, the pressure shouldn't (IMO) be on him to achieve that. He is only 19, and 14 goals/assists he got last season is a good return for such a young attacking player.

Obviously, Sterling should aim to improve incrementally season-by-season, but there are other players in the team who need to feel the fire more than him, and the likes of Henderson, Allen, Lallana, Lambert, and Borini (if he stays) should be under more pressure than Sterling to improve their creative output.

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53 comments:

  1. Nevergonnacrackthecode3:04 pm, August 12, 2014

    I am not worried about players leaving
    we normally get a massive fee for them and they obviously have a fantastic individual season the season prior

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  2. Nevergonnacrackthecode3:07 pm, August 12, 2014

    but we should try and keep our best players
    i dont think the attraction of real Madrid will be as massive to sterling as suarez , rio ferdinand,stevie g and ashley cole all rejected real Madrid, english players normally don't like going abroad , but it could happen obviously bale,beckham and owen .


    i think lfc should look at what bayern do to keep their best players apart from kroos i never seen them getting bullied in the market

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  3. I rarely listen to hype or get excited. But certain players just have that spark. This kid (if he stays injury free) will be a world beater. This season he will announce himself. He is the quickest and strongest player I have seen in years.

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  4. Nevergonnacrackthecode3:09 pm, August 12, 2014

    jaimie , why do you reckon man city(pro sheik) and chelsea never lose their best players , but liverpool ,arsenal and man utd do ?


    do you think it is the wages that those clubs offer that maybe other clubs do not want to match?

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  5. I agree about the pressure, it is not only his job to score. Having said that I think he will be one of the more likely scorers this coming season. Cost needs to up his goal ratio as does Allen and Henderson. I expect goals and assists from Lullana and Lambert but think people getting on their backs if they go a little while without first goal us definitely more counter productive than praise. Praise has not seemed to have been problematic for Raheem yet.

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  6. well im worried I dnt want to become a selling club we should hold on to our talents such as Raheem and build around them

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  7. Let's say he does become the great player we all think he'll be, that''' probably be somewhere in his mid-twenties and by that time he'll have spent around 9 or so years at the club. Most of us knew the day Suarez would leave was soon because, as a foreigner, I think most dream of playing for Real or Barca and always jump at the chance to leave regardless of what the club has done for their career (Henry, Modric, Cabaye, etc). Of course English players have made the jump but I feel like when the time comes Raheem might opt to stay. Modern football says he won't, but with Stevie and Cara around the club talking to him, and the age of the "one club man" dying, I think he'll choose to become a legend rather than chase the limelight. Of course that might be different if LFC are struggling in mid-table or something along those lines but he just seems to keep maturing and would "get" something like that and how much it would mean to the fans
    I'd like to think that LFC will always chose to keep a key player, regarless of the sum offered, if they want to stay. And I'd also like to think, assuming he makes it, that raheem would opt to stay because by the time he reaches superstardom, he might be the closest thing we have to a scouser in the first team

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  8. 'Too much hype over sterling.' Was that a joke? The hype is more then justified and there is a reason there is so much hype. He's 19 and already a really good player.

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  9. yep a great player that im sure we will offer a new bumper contract too..but we all know what contacts mean these days so hopefully he stays fingers crossed

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  10. Because Bayern can guarantee winning the league almost every season, that's not possible in the PL

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  11. At this point, I'm more worried about someone coming after Coutinho. Has he signed a new contract yet?

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  12. Sterling is in for a big season...he says he is ready to step up to fill saurez boots.He needs to improve his goals ratio though but he will frighten the life out of defenders...just ask kompany

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  13. This is just JK with his usual rap about overhyping. Sterling needs to improve in one area? getting into double figures, according to this piece. He scored 9 goals, just one away from that. He regularly shows in interviews that he is not getting carried away and although confident of his abilities, always says that he needs to continue to learn and improve.
    If there is any evidence of this 'overhyping' affecting Sterling, then I'd like to see it. When his performance dipped last season, he was taken out of the 1st team by BR.
    This is just (another one) of JK's pet hates.
    Sterling has the potential, and seems to have the right attitude. I don't see articles about James Rodriguez like this. Now THAT'S what I call hype...

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  14. That's fine. 150 million pounds.


    Or 75 million and Ja-mez + Benzema so we can let the latter rot away in the stands

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  15. I wonder did Redders not injure a finger typing all of those words..

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  16. Amazingly I was thinking of this today! With Sterling expecting to mature & establish himself on the European stage over the next 2-3 years and with Ronaldo around 32-33 its a given they will target Raheem as a replacement. Not concerned , attacking mids/wingers can be adequently replaced. Perhaps Ibe would step up ..

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  17. I get the feeling that Daniel Sturridge has taken him under his wing. I may be wrong but both seem to have a bad reputation but yet to me they seem like great lads. Not that it means anything but both are quite religious and seem well grounded..... JROD to me hes the next Ronaldo

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  18. At the moment he knows he's in the right place. If he leaves in the future it will be for a mammoth fee. Not something I'm worried about at the moment

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  19. I think he's past the point of hype or pressure having a dramatic effect on him. He's already graduated, passed his initiation phase into the big leagues. Up until about midway last season, he always looked like he was talented, but had no composure, and looked like a deer in headlights, hesitant, making poor decisions.

    Since midway last year he changed, piles of composure, not physically intimidated, and a decent eye for goal - his shooting is pretty good, from both inside and outside of the box. His vision has also improved - he's been delivering some true defense splitting passes - I'd say better than Coutinho.

    I'd say the only the he needs to do is shoot a little more, and otherwise keep doing what he's doing, he shouldn't have a problem reaching double digits in goals and assists - maybe even 15+ goals (last season was scoring(since december) .4goals/90 minutes). He has to be top candidate for YPOTY.

    It will be interesting to see where his development plateaus but for now he has improved big time from season to season, he does have world class potential, and probably will attract the sharks. Though the 20M figure is dated, if Shaw is worth 30M Sterling is worth 40M.

    I'd like to see him played as a striker - if Liverpool don't buy one, then put him up there with sturridge/lambert, or in Sturridge's place if injured - otherwise give him a chance in the cup games - I think he has what it takes - being the furthest man up would destroy any high line. Plus there are more than enogh playmakers/wingers to act as cover in Lallana, Coutinho, Markovich, Ibe.

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  20. I think that Sterling is too young yet to feel too much pressure, and hopefully Brendan will be shielding him from it to an extent anyway.
    At the moment he looks like he plays with the freedom you get from no one having any expectations. If he has a great season (eg. Double figures for goals and assists in all competitions - i expect he'll play some part in all four competitions this season) this season then he will start to feel like he's capable of doing that again and again and will pile pressure upon himself and that is the worst in my opinion. Everybody has a bad game every now and then and it's how he deals with that which will be key.
    It's the dirty money-grabbing agents who whisper in player's ears about fame and fortune that I worry about.

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  21. £20 million lol. I wouldn't take anything less than £60 million

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  22. I've been saying he could be the 2nd striker for some time now. Sturridge, Sterling with Coutinho, Markovic and Lallana feeding the frenzy. I realize that might leave the mid-field a bit naked, but I think Lallana and Marko vich can track back...but I still want Bony for when Studge gets hurt.

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  23. If u dont want a player to leave its simple u say no to any interest. Whether the player wants to go or not is IMO irrelevant. If u let a player go against your wishes then price them at 200%-500% current market value. Suarez at £75m was severely underprpiced! We should have asked for £150mill for him for spite.

    Its not about current market value in any case, its about what the asset is worth to u. For me Sterling is worth £50mill to liverpool and the bidding would have to start there.

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  24. Makes sense to have a big guy - who can beat others in the air. But don't hold your breath!

    Maybe a bid for Wickham??? (realistic?) lol

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  25. I think Jamie meant £200 million - SILLY JAMIE. And as for ETO -You cannot be serious - ye John Mcenroe had his good points too

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  26. Looks like Kelly and toure are gone too, me might be doing a transfer record this window

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  27. Kelly rumoured to be going to Palace. Toure to Trabzonspor.

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  28. Get back to work, Ian!

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  29. Spirit of the Shadows5:33 pm, August 12, 2014

    Just curious, is there a record for most number of transfers done by a club ( both in and out) in a single window? We look like we could set one ...

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  30. Must give credit to those on this site who craved the LFC managers give Raheem Sterling his opportunity to perform in the first team.
    When I saw him first he was a quick, tricky player but didn't have an end product. I think Kenny Dalglish tried him first. However, in the last year he has come on in leaps and bounds. He has developed into a really fine team player of maturity beyond his age. His upper body strength and stamina for a man of his age and size defies belief. I particularly like his ability to be always available whether that be in attack or defence - topped by his even temperament. If he continues in this way and remains injury free he will be a world class player of the highest order. I just hope he can avoid any little aggravations outside the club. Contrary to some opinions I don't believe he needs to score a shed load of goals to achieve greatness BUT it would certainly help his promotion if he scores decisive match winning goals.
    With this young player of West Indian origin and his Brazilian colleague LFC are in good hands now that they are sorting out a leaky defence.

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  31. Done deal!

    Tony Barrett @TonyBarretTimes
    Liverpool have agreed a fee with Sevilla for Alberto Moreno who is now expected to be pulled out of tonight's Super Cup game in Cardiff.



    He is also not playing for Sevilla tonight.

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  32. Finally! Thanks for the good news, Logan.

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  33. We needed a new left back desperately. Here is hoping Moreno hits the ground rubbing!

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  34. We needed a new left back desperately. Here is hoping Moreno hits the ground running!

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  35. I keep seeing the deal was for a lot less than what has been reported over the past month. £12m instead of the £16-20m we were all expecting. I hope it's true.

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  36. The fee does not really matter when it will be split over the length of his contract. We desperately needed a new left back and now we have one.

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  37. Nearly there, in order of importance:


    (i) A striker .. Bony would be nice
    (ii) A keeper .. Mignolet is an accident waiting to happen .. Diego Lopez?
    (iii) A defensive midfielder .. Vidal/Khediera would be the stuff of DREAMs

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  38. It's 12 Mill up front with 'add-ons' to follow later...whatever that means. He's flying to Liverpool instead of playing...where personal terms will be discussed. Hopefully he won't demand outrageous wages and scuttle the deal. I hope it's a nice warm day in Liverpool tomorrow...not foggy, clammy and rainy. Please do what you can.

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  39. Tentaive great news on Moreno...wages still to be discussed...now all we need is one more proven PL striker and I will be happy.

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  40. Yes, just saw it...thanks. 1.5 mil is ok.

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  41. This definitely qualifies as the most protracted and tedious transfer saga of the summer, but if we've managed to wrestle him from the grip of Sevilla at less than the touted £20 million fee then I guess it was worth it. from what I've seen of Moreno he will be a significant upgrade on what we currently have in that position, so I'm satisfied that it appears to be sorted.

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  42. I guess we have to applaud the killer negotiating skills of Ian Ayre. And it only took about 3 months too.

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  43. I hate Pulis but begrudgingly respect him. He knows what he wants and gets the necessary amount of results. A big full back is always good for a team who like to get crosses in. I wonder if Kells will get a chance at Cb? I can see them being comfortably mid table.

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  44. So, mysterious add-ons considered, I suppose the deal will end up being around £16m.

    Once Moreno sees our leather-strapped superhero de-straddle his motorbike, take off his helmet, and seductively shake his glorious hair in the gentle breeze the deal will be as good as complete, fair weather or no.

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  45. The squad that's being assembled looks like one that'll grow together. Good average age, and at a similar stage of their professional development. Suarez has been awesome, and hopefully his industriousness and tenacity will at least be his legacy for those youngsters who had the pleasure of playing with him and it carries on. If these guys, with the addition of Can, Markovic, Moreno, Manquillo, Lovren and Lallana (and Moreno too) can win a trophy or get very close next season, then LOOK OUT!!!

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  46. Nevergonnacrackthecode9:40 pm, August 12, 2014

    iloris to bordeux
    that leaves johnson,enrique,coates and agger as the defenders that are currently filling back up positions


    i dont think we should keep johnson and agger their wages are too high to be on the bench ,
    probably keep coates and enrique

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  47. Yes Sterling might be religious, he has attended many Baptisms/Christenings.

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  48. Yes they only need to dump a couple more and get a striker.

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  49. Well you should be you need established stars to build a side around thats the stability you need.

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  50. Think the striker situation now rests on Borini shaking off his shoulder injury which will then see him complete his move to Sunderland. Time is ticking though.


    We could see a short term fix though as Origi will be joining the squad at the start of next season.

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