Departing Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has told young forward Raheem Sterling in no uncertain terms that he risks ruining his career should he leave the club this summer, according to the Daily Mirror.
READ MORE:
Read the latest Liverpool transfer gossip!
Liverpool face competition from PSG for €30 million Serie A superstar
Gerrard has warned that the need for young players to feel they have to have everything served to them in the here and now can backfire too easily when they make it to the big time.
The veteran midfielder will make his final appearance at Anfield this weekend, which he sees as a passing of the old guard on to the new – something that he hopes Sterling can embody by staying at Liverpool to live up to his full potential.
“The danger for younger players is they want it all too soon and chase it, and become just one of a number at another club,” he insisted.
“They could go to another club and don’t get that love and attention they get here. It would be best for him here.”
Gerrard also believes that there is a very real danger of young players believing that they are the finished article while they are still in the process of developing their game.
“My advice to Raheem is he needs a manager who is going to play him, to coach him, to believe in him,” he said.
“I think there is no one better for him than Brendan Rodgers.
“For me, I am always going to be biased towards this club. I think he should sign a new deal. Brendan is a fantastic man manager, he puts a lot of time and effort into every player in the squad.”