By Sam Long (@samlong_89) | Tuesday, May 19, 2015
There are two words on every Liverpool fan's lips at present: Raheem Sterling.
The 20-year-old seems to have his heart set on an Anfield exit this summer. A deal worth a whopping £100,000-a-week has been rejected, bridges have been burned and Brendan Rodgers must be fuming.
Although the England international's agent, Aidy Ward, has told talkSPORT that his client's situation has been "blown out of proportion", there is no smoke – not of the shisha variety – without fire, and speculation surrounding Sterling will intensify until his future is resolved.
Signed from Queens Park Rangers in 2010, the Jamaican-born forward has been heralded as the future of the club, a man to build around, a leading light. He was part of the 'SASAS' combination that went so close to helping the Merseysiders claim a maiden Premier League title last term and appeared to have established himself as a player that was in it for the long haul.
Sterling will not be short of potential suitors should he, as expected, tell Rodgers of his desire to leave the club later in the week. The destinations that have been mooted for the Englishman are among the most prestigious outfits in the world. They certainly won't be short of financial muscle.
But how much is Sterling actually worth? Are current valuations that are flying around overpriced? Or do they represent market value?
talkSPORT has assessed which circumstances, or complications, could affect the sum of money that Liverpool could secure for the forwards' services.
FACTORS THAT WILL DECIDE RAHEEM STERLING'S TRANSFER VALUE
Age
At just 20 years of age, Sterling still has most of his career ahead of him. Yet despite that tender age, Sterling is already a veteran of 95 Premier League games, with 18 top flight goals to his name. His Premier League debut arrived in October 2012, alongside the likes of Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher and Dirk Kuyt, and injuries permitting, he should have at least a decade at the top ahead of him (as long as he doesn't get too tired).
There are two key factors that can lead to primary fees in football, and it can often prove to be a toss up between the two when a valuation needs to be sought. Clubs will either pay through the nose for a player because they are at the peak of their powers and their arrival will lead to an immediate impact, or value is added due to the likelihood that longevity can be achieved.
For example, the prospect of Luke Shaw lining up on the left hand side of Manchester United's flank well into his 30s certainly played a part in the Red Devils' decision to make the former Southampton defender one of the most expensive teenagers on the planet last summer. Liverpool will be able to base their asking price on the fact that Sterling is not only ready for first-team action, but also that his future employers could enjoy years of service, if not command a huge sell on fee in the future.
Nationality
Englishmen come at a premium in the Premier League, rightly or wrongly. An influx of foreign players has seen regular opportunities difficult to come by for English players that, in years gone by, would have carved out a decent career for themselves in the top tier, but the cream still rises to the top.
With homegrown quotas to fulfill, top class English players come at a premium and Sterling is now an established member of Roy Hodgson's set up. At last summer's World Cup he was arguably one of the first names on the team sheet, behind captain Wayne Rooney and goalkeeper Joe Hart.
As a result, his price will eclipse the £25 million that Liverpool paid Southampton for Adam Lallana last summer. The former Saints' captain's route to the top came via a stint in the lower leagues and he enjoyed his 'breakthrough' in his mid-20s. Sterling, by contrast, burst on to the scene five years earlier.
As well as homegrown quotas, the Premier League's elite are all keen to have a core of British players in their respective teams, increasing appeal among the loyal, local fan base and improving commercial revenue.
Sterling ticks all the boxes in this regard and, let's be frank, for several years there has not been an emerging English player as eye-catching in his displays as the Liverpool forward.
Status at Liverpool
Sterling's exit would be a blow to Liverpool, but it is not yet akin to losing a talent on the level of Luis Suarez, or a totem like Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.
He may be highly rated, but Sterling is not a figure who is cherished at Anfield. Losing a young England international is not ideal, but he is not yet the finished article.
The symbolism of Sterling's departure would be greatly affected were he to move abroad, rather than to another Premier League club. Rumours of interest from Bayern Munich could help drive the price down, as Liverpool would no doubt feel less uncomfortable selling to an overseas Champions League giant, as opposed to a direct Premier League rival.
Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group, have proven that they can dig their heels in when another Premier League club comes sniffing around the Reds' talent. Luis Suarez seemed to be destined for a move to Arsenal in 2013, before the club's stance hardened and they retained the striker's services, with spectacular results.
Achievements to date
According to former Liverpool player John Barnes, Sterling has achieved "nothing" in the game. Ok, he hasn't filled his boots with trophies, but since when is that the sole parameter for a players' success?
Sterling perhaps hasn't justified the hype, but he is already an England regular and arguably the key man in Liverpool's attack, making 35 Premier League appearances this term – 10 more than any other player aged 20 or under in the entire division.
Contract situation
Sterling's current contract expires in June 2017 and because he will be under 23 on that date, he cannot leave Liverpool for nothing, meaning a tribunal would set the fee. It is unlikely the Reds would receive a sum as large as any transfer fee paid this summer, which may force the club's hand. But the knowledge that they are in no danger of losing Sterling for nothing strengthens Liverpool's bargaining position.
HOW MUCH IS RAHEEM STERLING WORTH, THEN?
Taking into account all these factors, bidding clubs may see a figure of £30m as the starting point for any bids, but Liverpool are in a position to swat away such a sum and hold out for a higher bid. Much will depend on how many teams are seriously interested in the Englishman.
It's likely that the Reds would want something in the region of £50m from any Premier League rival, a figure that even mega-wealthy Manchester City would probably baulk at.
Like any negotiation, the bidder's low offer and the seller's steep price tag would probably be hammered out to a sum somewhere in the middle – potentially around the £40m mark.
This proposed fee may seem steep given that Sterling is far from the finished article, and also has question marks hanging over his head in regards to attitude, but his potential and the premium placed on England internationals mean that inflation of his price tag is inevitable.
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