As if things were not bad enough for Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers following the refusal of Raheem Sterling to sign a £100,000 per-week contract he now faces a challenge to keep hold of the man lined up to be the Reds next captain Jordan Henderson after the influential midfielder reportedly turned down a new £80,000 per-week contract.
When comparing the two Henderson’s case is in fact more urgent as he only has one year remaining on his current deal while Sterling has two year left.
Chelsea meanwhile is monitoring Henderson’s situation closely with an eye to a deal after the now 24-year-old has proved himself at Anfield following his £20 million move from Sunderland back in 2011.
Liverpool has not helped their cause of keeping two of their best players after having seen their chance of Champions League football next season evaporate following back-to-back losses against Manchester United and Arsenal with Rodgers also admitting it will be hard to attract top names in the summer.
“I think most players want to be in the Champions League,” he said.
“Players want to play at the top level of the game and if you’re not in the Champions League it makes it difficult for you.”
When asked if Liverpool’s hope of Champions League football was now over Rodgers said: “I think so. I’m a realist as well.
“I think with the two games that we’ve had, I think we needed to take something from Arsenal, and if we’d done that then our chances would have been greater.
“I wouldn’t expect the others to slip up, particularly Arsenal or Manchester United. I don’t expect them to do that.
“Add to that, the sort of growing number we’ve got unavailable I think it will make it very, very difficult with only seven games to go.”
All Liverpool’s hope now rest with the FA Cup as the club travels to Elwood Park on Wednesday for their quarter-final replay against Blackburn Rovers.
