Raheem Sterling beware... 12 English transfer flops the Liverpool winger should remember

Moving to a squad loaded with talent is a cautionary tale

Tom Sheen
Monday 06 April 2015 12:42 BST
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Raheem Sterling at Arsenal
Raheem Sterling at Arsenal (GETTY IMAGES)

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As the Raheem Sterling contract feud continues to rumble on the Liverpool winger should take stock of what he already has.

Rightly regarded as one of the hottest properties in Europe, the 20-year-old is being watched by clubs across the continent, with Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich all watching the saga unfold with glee.

Sterling is asking for an outrageous wage rise that could see him leave Liverpool for pastures new in the summer.

As the defeat at the Emirates on Saturday showed, this Liverpool squad is a long way from competing for the title and in the Champions League - Sterling might think that leaving would give him a better chance of challenging for honours with a better squad of players.

But as has been seen time and again in recent English football history, young talent moving on to bigger and better squads doesn't always work out well for their careers.

Sterling is involved in an ongoing saga over his new contract
Sterling is involved in an ongoing saga over his new contract (Getty Images)

Obviously players want to win medals, get paid and see if they can develop alongside some of the best talent out there. But would Sterling truly be better off if he was to join one of the aforementioned clubs?

At Liverpool he is one of the first names on the team-sheet, a man seen as a match-winner and a crucial part of their plans for the next 10 years.

If he was to join Arsenal or Manchester City, for example, he would likely see his playing time cut immediately.

Rodgers reacts during Liverpool's defeat to Arsenal
Rodgers reacts during Liverpool's defeat to Arsenal (Getty Images)

Shaun Wright-Phillips, David Bentley, Scott Parker and Jack Rodwell are barely registering in the football landscape in 2015, and it's easy to say that Sterling is a bigger talent than any of those, but at one stage in their careers these players were hailed as the next big thing.

Rodwell and Parker were both seen as future England captains, Bentley was the 'next David Beckham' and, like Sterling, Wright-Phillips was one of the most talented young wingers seen in England after he took the Premier League by storm.

Sterling could well be a success if he was to move to another club, but he should remember these players before he makes his next move:

Did we forget anyone? Let us know in the comments below

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