London - Kolo Toure has warned Raheem Sterling that leaving Liverpool could see him end up on the scrapheap at a big club, similar to the way Jack Rodwell and Scott Sinclair did at Manchester City.
Sterling stunned Liverpool earlier this week, giving an interview confirming that he has turned down a new £100 000-a-week contract and admitting he is “quite flattered” by interest from Arsenal. Chelsea and Manchester City are also keen on English football’s hottest property.
But Toure, who used to play for City with Rodwell and Sinclair, has warned his Anfield teammate a move to one of European football’s heavyweights may not be everything he has dreamed of.
Rodwell joined City in a £12m deal in 2012, while Sinclair made the same move from Swansea City for a £8m fee later that year.
The English pair made just nine Premier League appearances between them across two seasons at the Etihad Stadium.
Rodwell joined relegation-threatened Sunderland last year to end his City nightmare while Sinclair is trying to rebuild his career at Aston Villa, and Toure says Sterling could be making a similar mistake by leaving Anfield.
“Both Rodwell and Sinclair went to a club where there is big competition and didn’t play,” Toure said.
“If Raheem left Liverpool he wouldn’t be sure to start games. Make a mistake or don’t score for two games and he will be on the bench. There is no messing at clubs like that.”
Brendan Rodgers used his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Arsenal to reiterate that Sterling was not for sale, and Toure sees Liverpool as the perfect place for the 20-year-old to continue his development.
“I’m not surprised there’s speculation because everybody would want to have a player like him,’ he told the Liverpool Echo. “But he needs to stay here. Liverpool is a great place for him.
“This is definitely the best place for him to continue his development. At Liverpool, he’s beginning to be one of the most important players. He’s playing every week.
“If he went to another club there would be big challenges he would face. He wouldn’t be the most important player.”
Chelsea joined the race to sign England star Sterling, with the Premier League leaders wanting to be kept informed of any developments in his contract situation.
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are also monitoring the developments in his contract stand-off at Anfield.
Doubts over Arsenal’s ability to fund a move have seen their interest questioned, but they are confident they have the financial firepower to compete for him with the likes of Chelsea and City.
Liverpool boss Rodgers said on Thursday: “He’s got two-and-a-half years to go on his deal and he’s not going anywhere in the summer.
“I cannot speak for the owners but I have a good idea of what they would do.
“I know them well enough and for me it would not happen. Liverpool are one of the superpowers of football and the owners have made it clear that money doesn’t come into it.
“If the club doesn’t want to sell, it won’t sell, it’s as simple as that. Money has never been the objective for the club.
“Whatever player - Raheem or anybody - it would always be on the terms of the club.
“He still has two-and-a-bit years left of his deal so it’s not something we’re overly concerned about. I’m confident that at the end of the season we’ll find the solution.”
Daily Mail