Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has told teammate Raheem Sterling to commit his future to the club.
Despite his current deal having two and a half seasons to run, Sterling has seen his contract situation at Anfield become a talking point.
Sterling’s versatility in being able to operate as a striker has provided under-pressure boss Brendan Rodgers with a welcome boost, and Gerrard hopes to see the 20-year-old stick around for a lot longer.
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He told a number of national newspapers: “I hope he signs a new contract at the club because I think this club is perfect for him, certainly for the next few years.
“He’s going to play most weeks, the fans love him here. He can progress here and become a top, top player here so I hope the people around him give him the right advice because he should stay here.
“He’s great to watch, great to play with, he’s got that pace. When you look up he’s always giving you an option and that’s what I’ve thrived on throughout my career at Liverpool with the likes of Fernando Torres, Michael Owen.
“There’s nothing better as a midfielder when you look up and see pace running in behind. I saw it on numerous occasions [against Bournemouth in midweek] and hopefully it will continue because it stretches teams and creates chances.”
Sterling’s brace in a 3-1 win at Bournemouth on Wednesday was a real pressure reliever after a run of poor results.
His finishing was also impressive, having squandered a number of clear-cut chances at Manchester United on Sunday.
“You’ve got to be able to have that [versatility] in your locker if you want to be top drawer,” added Gerrard.
“Raheem’s got potential to be top drawer for sure. He took a lot of stick after the weekend but I thought his all-round performance was magnificent, the only thing that was missing was a finish and that came [against Bournemouth].
“The exciting thing for all of us is that he’s English and going to be a top, top player. I think he can play anywhere along the front, he’s that intelligent. He’s got to keep learning, he’s got to keep wanting it.”
English Premier League fixtures (all UAE times)
Saturday
Manchester City v Crystal Palace, 4.45pm
Aston Villa v Manchester United, 7pm
Hull City v Swansea City, 7pm
Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion, 7pm
Southampton v Everton, 7pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley, 7pm
West Ham United v Leicester City, 7pm
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sunderland, 5.30pm
Liverpool v Arsenal, 8pm
Monday
Stoke City v Chelsea, midnight
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