Liverpool Transfer News: Rumours on Raheem Sterling, Eduardo Salvio

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has acknowledged he is powerless to intervene in ongoing contract discussions with star forward Raheem Sterling, dropping an ominous hint that the England international's future with the club could be in doubt.

As shared by the Sunday World's Kevin Palmer, the Northern Irishman didn't sound overly optimistic when discussing the latest developments:

The Daily Mirror's Liam Corless provided more details, explaining that Sterling recently turned down a weekly wage of £100,000 from the Reds. Meanwhile, Manchester City are reportedly willing to give the youngster whatever he wants.

Despite that, Rodgers still hopes Sterling will look at the progression he's made at Anfield and opt to stay for the foreseeable future:

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Raheem has made 118 appearances and has only just turned 20. We’ve got a really strong relationship but, as I said, it is about more than that unfortunately. It isn’t like 20 or 30 years ago, when people came in and sometimes didn’t even look at the contract before signing it.

It is a different sport now and it’s just about managing that. All I know is, that when people look at Raheem, it is obvious where his development has taken place and where the next stage should be.

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The 20-year-old has emerged as one of Liverpool's key attacking players and a potential cornerstone to build the team around, scoring six goals and adding seven assists during this Premier League season.

He has the versatility to play as an attacking midfielder, striker or in a wide role and does his best work when left to roam free all over the attacking third. There's little doubt he's a fantastic talent, but the question is whether he would be ready for a hypothetical move to one of Europe's top clubs.

The Times' Rory Smith wonders whether Sterling truly believes he would be a starter for Real Madrid or Barcelona at this stage of his career:

As things stand, it simply makes sense for Sterling to continue with the Reds. Providing they are willing to satisfy his financial needs, they provide plenty of playing opportunities at the top level of the Premier League.

The Liverpool Echo's James Pearce doesn't think the youngster will leave anytime soon, but he needs to start looking at the people currently negotiating on his behalf:

Most players his age would be more than satisfied with a wage packet of £100,000 per week, but then again, Sterling isn't most players. While there's still plenty of time left to get a deal done, this situation is undoubtedly one to keep an eye on.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are reportedly negotiating with Benfica over star winger Eduardo Salvio, with O Jogo (h/t Metro.co.uk's Lewis Rudd) reporting they are currently working on getting the 24-year-old to sign a new contract with a reduced buyout clause:

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The Reds are said to be keen admirers of the Argentine, but the £42million needed to release the player from his current terms may have presented the Anfield outfit with a stumbling block.

Portuguese publication O Jogo, however, is reporting his club are now in negotiations with agent Agustin Jimenez with regards to extending Salvio’s contract – where it will be insisted the clause surrounding the player will be somewhere nearer the £25m mark, which could trigger a mass scramble for his signature.

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According to Portuguese football expert Jan Hagen, it's not the first time Benfica and Salvio have tried to come to an agreement on a new contract:

The Argentinian has scored eight goals in 23 appearances in the Portuguese league, and his current deal runs until 2017.

He's a tricky midfielder with enough pace to survive in the Premier League, and fans may remember his contributions during the club's run to the Europa League Final last year.

Salvio has been a consistent force for Benfica, and the 2014-15 campaign has been somewhat of a breakout season for him. However, the buyout clause of £42 million is far too big for a player who may have limited potential at the highest level.

A reduced fee of £25 million seems likelier, but even then, you have to wonder whether he presents enough of an upgrade over Liverpool's current options to warrant such a significant investment during the summer.

Unless otherwise noted, statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com.

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