Raheem Sterling contract talks cancelled: Liverpool make decision following '£900,000-a-week' outburst from agent Aidy Ward

The two sides were due to meet at Liverpool's Melwood training complex

Ian Herbert
Thursday 21 May 2015 15:40 BST
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Liverpool have cancelled talks with Raheem Sterling and his agent, scheduled for tomorrow, after the representative launched an extraordinary attack on the club.

The two sides have been scheduled to meet at the Melwood training ground, in an attempt to hammer out an agreement. But after the striker’s agent, Aidy Ward, today told the Evening Standard that the 20-year-old would refuse to sign a new deal even if he was offered nearly £1m a week, the Anfield club have been forced to cancel the meeting.

Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre and manager Brendan Rodgers had held out hope that the Northern Irishman’s relationship with the player may have helped, even though the player has made it clear through Ward this week that he wants to leave. But Ward’s comments to the Evening Standard make it clear to the club that the player and agent have already set the agenda for the meeting. Sterling has already turned dwn a £100,000-a-week deal.

Ward told the Evening Standard he “didn’t care” about the club or its image, dismissed criticism by former players as “irrelevant” and branded Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher “a knob”. He said: “I don’t care about the PR of the club and the club situation. I don’t care.

“He is definitely not signing. He’s not signing for £700, £800, £900 thousand a week. He is not signing.

“My job is to make sure I do the best with them (my clients). If people say I am bad at my job, or they are badly advised it does not matter.”

Liverpool's final game of the season is away against Stoke on Sunday.

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