Liverpool Transfer News: Brendan Rodgers 'Sure' over Raheem Sterling Contract

Liverpool chief Brendan Rodgers has given the club's supporters reason to feel confident over the future of Raheem Sterling, proclaiming he's "sure" the starlet will remain a Red.

The Merseysiders are striving to agree a new deal with the 20-year-old amidst a torrent of foreign interest, but Rodgers is quoted by the Mirror's David Maddock as being calm about the whole situation:

"

We are a club trying to build something. We were on a path for a couple of years and, of course, we’ve had to come off that path since the summer, to regroup again, really.

I’m quite relaxed about it. I'm sure we can get a deal done. He’s the type of boy, he leaves his representatives to work with the club in order to hopefully organise the deal. He has no real influence in that.

"

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Premier League rivals Manchester City are mentioned by Maddock as three of the suitors known to be following Sterling's situation at Liverpool.

All three would be in position to offer superior prospects in terms of title ambition, but Rodgers outlines the key role his youngster plays at Anfield, heaping praise on the maturity of one so essential to his plight:

"

All I ever asked him to do is, 'Concentrate on your football. Concentrate on preparing yourself well, concentrate on getting yourself ready for training and the performances will come.' And I think he’s shown that consistently over this last period.

He’s been a real threat, and a top young player. I’ll never be surprised teams are linked with Raheem because he’s such a big talent. He’s just turned 20 years of age. He’s a wonderful young player and a very mature young man.

"

Despite his lacking in years, Sterling has risen to become a prominent member of the Liverpool team in 2014, but fears over the club's dramatic fall this season have led to concerns he may take his talents elsewhere.

As Sky Sports News HQ illustrates, no Liverpool player has registered more Premier League minutes than the forward this season, showing just how heavily the squad have come to rely on their budding maestro:

With the club currently sitting 11th in the English top flight, Rodgers will need every ounce of star potential he's got in order to reverse their fortunes.

Following last term's shocking rise to second place, the 2014-15 campaign has been one of markedly opposite prospects. The Reds failed to make it past the Champions League group stage and this week drew Besiktas in the Europa League's round of 32.

Michael Steele/Getty Images

In the wake of Luis Suarez's departure for Barcelona, heavy reinvestment in the squad left Anfield abuzz with a raft of summer signings. 

However, the likes of Lazar Markovic, Alberto Moreno, Mario Balotelli and Dejan Lovren aren't performing as hoped. Sterling has maintained his place as the team's talisman in the absence of Daniel Sturridge, as Squawka attests:

Rodgers is correct in affirming that his star has responded well to commands, but when the rest of the squad is failing to perform at the same standard, Sterling may well become disillusioned in his current setting.

It's possible the club may have to reinvest in their squad once again this winter, with former United States international Janusz Michallik recently telling Bleacher Report's Ryan Bailey what the Reds' ideal January window would look like:

The Reds are once again under pressure to improve their ranks if the season is to be revived, with any reinforcements likely to play a hand in convincing Sterling of their renewed ambitions.

For now, fans will be forced to sweat it out on whether one of, if not their most valued centrepiece will extend his Anfield contract, with Rodgers eager to promote an impression of calm over the whole affair.