Liverpool contract rebel Raheem Sterling could buy out the final year of his contract at the Anfield club in a bid to force his way out of Merseyside, according to reports in The Daily Mail.
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According to Premier League regulations the 20-year-old is within his rights to buy out the final year of his contract, which ends in 2017, costing him £1.7 million and dramatically reducing his market value, possibly by about half as he may be available for just £25m.
The Reds insist they will hold firm in their stance and not be forced to sell their prize asset this summer, though they may be forced to reconsider should Sterling’s advisors explore the route of buying out his final year.
Liverpool are understood to value the England international at £50 million, though with effectively a year less on his contract it would see his transfer value cut by half, possibly turning the heads of the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City in this summer’s transfer window.