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Sterling could get S$8.4m if he joins City

LONDON — Raheem Sterling could be in line for a £4 million (S$8.4 million) cut of his agent’s fee if Manchester City meet Liverpool’s £50 million asking price for the England striker.

Sterling had denied his motivation for refusing to sign a new Liverpool contract was down to money. Photo: Getty Images

Sterling had denied his motivation for refusing to sign a new Liverpool contract was down to money. Photo: Getty Images

LONDON — Raheem Sterling could be in line for a £4 million (S$8.4 million) cut of his agent’s fee if Manchester City meet Liverpool’s £50 million asking price for the England striker.

A source close to the negotiations has told The Daily Telegraph that Sterling, 20, will benefit enormously should the City deal go ahead although he has strongly denied his motivation for refusing to sign a new contract at Liverpool is down to money.

City are thought to be on the verge of submitting a third bid for Sterling that is likely to come close to matching Liverpool’s valuation. City, who head out to Australia on tour this week, would like to ensure Sterling is given time to settle before the start of the new Premier League season.

Liverpool insist they do not want to sell Sterling and point out that he remains under contract with them for another two years, but are likely to accept there is no point forcing him to stay if their valuation is met.

Sterling was booed by Liverpool fans at the end of last season and the level of animosity between the club’s board and his agent, Aidy Ward, after months of bickering means there is unlikely to be any attempt to discuss extending his contract. Even Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is likely to accept the player’s future lies elsewhere given the ill feeling after increasingly combative contract talks.

Agents normally have a vested interest in their clients moving clubs but Sterling is also in line to receive a large slice of his agent’s fee. The Daily Telegraph understands the share he receives could be as high as 50 per cent.

Given that agents regularly demand a fee that adds up to 10 per cent of the overall value of a deal, which includes both the transfer fee and wages over the full length of the contract, Sterling could receive around £4 million in a one-off payment if City sign him for £50 million and he agrees a five-year contract on wages of more than £100,000 a week.

Normally, it is only players who move clubs on Bosman-style free transfers who pocket large signing-on fees, but Sterling’s arrangement with his agent is understood to be an unusual one.

City have made Sterling one of their priority targets after learning that he was not going to agree a new contract with Liverpool last season.

City have had two bids rejected for Sterling this summer, but they have not moved on to other targets and need to sign another England player following the departure of James Milner to Liverpool last month.

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