Following a two-day absence due to illness, young winger Raheem Sterling is back with Liverpool in their preseason training.
The winger called in ill and missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Neither he nor the club made any comments regarding the situation, although the club's medical staff was asked to assess him since it was a standard procedure.
Sterling's absence has worsened the already crumbling relationship between him and Liverpool. The winger rejected a £100,000 a week deal offered by the Reds earlier this year, with his manager also saying that the English winger will not sign any offer from the club.
Adding insult to injury, ESPN FC reported that a source said Sterling, 20, told Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers that he would miss the club's tour of Southeast Asia and Australia which would begin Sunday.
Former Liverpool captain and now Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Steven Gerrard, 35, is disappointed with the situation regarding Sterling. "It looks very disappointing from where I'm at. The fans have shown him great support, they want him to stay and I believe that he should too," Gerrard said, according to The Guardian.
"It's very difficult for me to sit here and support him and the team around him ... what they're trying to do with his career at a young age. It'll be a terrible shame if he goes somewhere and doesn't kick on as a player. It's slightly disappointing how far the situation has gone, but the only way I can see for him is out at the moment," the midfielder added.
Manchester City has been strongly linked to Sterling as the club already made two bids to Liverpool, but both were rejected. The first bid was for £25 million (£30 million with add-ons) and was later increased to £35 million (£40 million with add-ons) but were still turned down by the Reds, who have been pricing Sterling at £50 million.
