Raheem Sterling insists Liverpool contract row not about money as he vows to gun down transfer suitors Arsenal
Unsettled Liverpool and England forward Raheem Sterling insists he wants to beat Arsenal in Saturday’s Premier League showdown despite admitting to being flattered by their interest in him.
Sterling, 20, admits he is undecided over his Anfield future after turning down a new contract worth £100,000. The Gunners, who could all but end Liverpool’s Champions League aspirations with victory, are among a host of clubs said to be interested in the QPR youth team prospect.
“It’s definitely quite flattering but I just try to block everything out of my head,” Sterling said.
“I just want to keep playing football and doing well in my next game. It’s against Arsenal and I want to do well against them; I won’t be hiding anything about that.”
Sterling, who has two years left on his current deal, says he has refused to discuss a new contract because he wants to reassess his options in the summer – not because he is demanding more money.
“That’s not me at all. Money is not everything in my life,” he added. “I talk about winning trophies throughout your career. I don’t talk about how many cars I’m going to drive, how many houses I’ve got. I don’t want to be perceived as a money grabbing 20-year-old.”