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Raheem Sterling was expected to sign a new deal last summer. Eight months on, it’s still up in the air. In the meantime, Real Madrid have come and gone as rumoured suitors, Brendan Rodgers has offered countless updates with the manager believing each time a deal is nearly done, and Liverpool have gone from looking over their shoulder at the relegation zone to looking at a top four run.
"It’s not a distraction to me," said Sterling ahead of Liverpool’s second leg Europa League tie against Besiktas. "I’m just concentrating on winning games for Liverpool and hopefully it will be done soon. I speak to my representative every day and he has just told me to concentrate on playing football, and him and the club will deal with it. I’m happy playing football and focused on trying to do my best for the club."
This marks the second time in recent days Sterling has openly talked of hoping his new deal gets done soon, and taken together with Rodgers’ suggestions a new contract is close over the past month it appears the long-awaited Sterling contract may finally, actually be close to getting done. Of course, many fans thought the same last summer, and eight months later there's still no deal, just weekly whispers about it being close.
Sterling has played in 37 games for Liverpool so far this season, scoring ten goals and adding six assists in all competitions.
