Liverpool: The 10 best LFC transfers of the 2010s
By David Gate
5. Raheem Sterling
You may not think of Sterling as being a ‘transfer’ but he was one of the first players through the door this decade. Rafael Benitez was responsible for bringing Raheem Sterling to the Merseyside club. Benitez signed him back in 2010 from QPR’s academy as a young 15-year-old kid. He was a pacy creative forward who had huge promise.
It didn’t take long for Sterling’s stock to rise. By the age of 17, he had already made his way to the first-team squad. His first senior cap for Liverpool came in 2012 against Wigan, his first start in the league was later in 2012 against Manchester City.
In 20120-13 he had two goals in all competitions. By his final season with Liverpool in 2014-15 he had eleven across 52 appearances in the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, and in European Competitions.
Sterling was heralded as the future of Liverpool. As the previous generation such as Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard were ending their cycle with the club, players like Sterling would be the next wave.
However, money got in the way. Liverpool didn’t want to meet Sterling’s wage demands and by the 2015-16 season, he was sold to Manchester City for £44 million. That’s a tidy £43.5 million profit, but it left a bitter taste in the mouths of fans.
Since joining Manchester City Raheem Sterling has been unleashed scoring 84 goals in 144 appearances in all competitions and become one of the most exciting players in Europe.
[Profile by Michel Anderson]