Jason McAteer: 'Raheem Sterling is being misguided'

Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer has claimed that Raheem Sterling is doing the club a disservice by turning down a new contract.

The 20-year-old, whose current deal comes to an end in 2017, has reportedly turned down a new £180,000-a-week contract to remain at Anfield.

McAteer says that the England international is being poorly advised as talks between the two parties continue to stall.

"It's stop-start on these contract negotiations. It's a little bit messy. It looks like [Raheem Sterling] is holding out for something," McAteer told talkSPORT. "You know how the football world works, someone will be in his ear telling him this and that. I think he's just got to knuckle down and let his performances do the talking.

"I just think he's being misguided somewhere along the line. The club and Brendan [Rodgers] will be telling him all the right things. Brendan is a good young coach with great ideas who has worked with youngsters before. He's a good man manager as well and Liverpool is a massive club.

"I think he's doing them a disservice by saying he wants to leave because Liverpool are on the up."

Sterling has been linked with Premier League side Arsenal.