Liverpool Transfer News: Raheem Sterling Sale Would End Brendan Rodgers' Tenure

Raheem Sterling's Anfield future is up in the air as a new deal still has not been agreed with Liverpool. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are said to be interested in acquiring the attacker.

Chris McKenna of the Daily Star writes that the England star still has two years left of his current deal, "but his representatives are fighting hard for a massive pay increase from the £30,000-a-week plus bonuses he earns now."

McKenna says Liverpool are in no rush to improve Sterling's terms—but this lack of movement has encouraged some of the continent's biggest clubs to watch the developing situation.

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Sterling's form has not been as electric as it was at the end of last season, when the Reds nearly won the Premier League title before falling at the final hurdle.

This season, Sterling has only managed to find the net three times in the Premier League, per WhoScored.com, underlying the team's worrying lack of goals.

But Brendan Rodgers says he does not think his prime attacking midfielder has lost any of his performance value and is unmoved by the speculation linking him with a move away from Merseyside, per McKenna:

"

I think Raheem has been brilliant. I think he's been absolutely outstanding. The kid has been a real catalyst for us in terms of our attacking threat. I don't think there's any way there's anything affecting him.

He's the type of boy, he's leaves his representatives to work with the club in order to hopefully organise the deal. He has no real influence in that. I'll never be surprised teams are linked with Raheem because he's such a big talent.

"

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Rodgers seems confident in his assessment of Sterling, but the last few months have been a desperately disappointing experience for everyone in the squad.

Sterling has been marked and targeted by opponents and—without Luis Suarez or Daniel Sturridge to provide the goals—the Reds have seen their form collapse like a house of cards.

The youngster was even used as an auxiliary striker at Old Trafford last Sunday—with Liverpool unable to break their deadlock despite having a host of opportunities. 

Despite the failure, Rodgers once again started Sterling as his striker on Wednesday night as his side visited Bournemouth in the League Cup, as highlighted by Dominic Fifield of The Guardian:

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Sterling is a goal threat—and he could potentially be a good striker—but the pressure on the boy has now reached an unacceptable level.

Rodgers is looking for a magic formula to resuscitate his players, who are drowning under the weight of their own poor performances, and the onus has been hugely put on the shoulders of the 20-year-old.

Sterling could potentially see his future away from Anfield if he is continually asked to play out of position—ruining his own delicate development in the process.

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The bright lights of Munich and Madrid would appeal to any player, and the opportunity to join such teams does not come around every day—certainly not for a boy who came through QPR's academy as a kid.

But if Sterling does decide to reject a new deal and fly the nest, his exit would surely represent the beginning of the end of Rodgers' tenure at Anfield.

And with Sterling's deal running down by the month, Liverpool would need to sell him sooner rather than later in order to make a maximum profit for a player who is coveted by the best.

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Rodgers should be forcing the issue right now and getting his board to tie the player to the club for the next five years. He is an extraordinary talent and is still only at the start of his journey as a professional footballer.

If he goes, Liverpool will be devoid of yet another one of their special talents—and the loss of Suarez showed how quickly a team of eleven men can capitulate without a catalyst.

Sterling is the catalyst now, but Rodgers needs to look after his young star. He shines brightly in the galaxy of football supernovas, and if Liverpool do not treat him correctly, he will go the same way as Suarez, Fernando Torres and Michael Owen.

Rodgers needs to move quickly, and he needs to wrap Sterling up as an early gift to the Anfield Kop.