In the wake of Raheem Sterling’s contract saga, Liverpool have at least locked down other important players for the foreseeable future.
Jordon Ibe, who has come on strong during this campaign, along with Jon Flanagan, who has been injured all season but showed promise in the past, have both signed long-term deals to stay at Anfield.
The drama surrounding Sterling only heightened today, as reports surfaced that his agent said he wouldn’t even accept a £900,000-a-week offer from Liverpool.
Raheem Sterling won’t stay for £900k a wk #LFC contract – agent tells London Evening Standard: http://t.co/QKO7fY0FGu pic.twitter.com/iC8EXr6H0D
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 21, 2015
There have since been claims that he never said that, but, nevertheless, Liverpool have cancelled their upcoming meeting with the forward, and an exit looks imminent for the 20-year-old.
With the saga continuing, the signing of these two bright starlets comes at a very good time for Brendan Rodgers and Fenway Sports Group, as missing out on Memphis Depay coupled with the Sterling issue have started off the summer the wrong way.
Ibe however, is a player similar to Sterling, with lots of pace and a lot of potential and at age 19, has a lot of time to develop at Anfield with his new contract.
Flanagan is a reliable left back who played a large role in Liverpool’s second-place finish in the 2013-14 campaign and if he can stay healthy, he will also be a huge asset to Liverpool.
Transfers won’t be easy to come by after finishing out of the top four, but the money generated from the inevitable Sterling sale should help Liverpool if they can spend it the right way.
Luckily for them, renewing two of their better youngsters’ contracts should at least somewhat cushion the blow of the loss.
