RAHEEM STERLING ADMITS it is “quite flattering” to be linked with a move to Arsenal as he insists his contract impasse with Liverpool will not be resolved before the summer.
In an interview with BBC Sport, the 20-year-old revealed he has turned down an offer of £100,000-a-week to extend his current contract at Anfield, which runs until the summer of 2017.
Last month Goal reported that Liverpool have drawn up a list of possible replacements for Sterling — one of whom is Arsenal winger Theo Walcott — as concern about the youngster’s long-term future on Merseyside grows.
But even as he remains adamant that he is no “money-grabbing 20-year-old” and is focused on his football rather than his future, Sterling did not attempt to hide his pleasure at being linked with the Gunners.
He said: “Yeah definitely it’s quite flattering [to be linked], but I try to just block everything out in my head and just keep playing football and doing well in my next game.
“My next game is against Arsenal [on Saturday] and I’ll be trying to my best against them, I won’t hide anything about that.
“I’m just happy to be playing football and want to do my best for Liverpool.”
Sterling has emerged as a key figure at Liverpool and a regular starter for England over the past two years, scoring 11 goals in 50 appearances for club and country this season.
