Liverpool urged to demand €49m for Raheem Sterling

Liverpool should demand €49m (£35m) for the services of wantaway winger Raheem Sterling, according to Soccerex's Under-21 Football Value Index.

The England international has been heavily linked with a move away from Anfield after confirming he had turned down their offer of a new contract.

The Guardian has reported that Sterling is edging towards the Liverpool door after refusing to go on the club's pre-season tour to the Far East and Australia.

Manchester City have had a £25m bid for Sterling rejected according to Sky Sports, but according to latest figures from an expert in transfer market valuation, the Merseyside club should cave to their rivals' demands.

The Football Value Index estimates a player's valuation using six different areas of criteria including the average fee each club sells a player for, a player's position, their market value perception, age, years remaining on their contract and an analysis of their recent performance statistics.

The 20-man long list of U21 players sees Sterling top, valued at €49m, with a host of Premier League players trailing the Liverpool forward.

New Manchester United signing Memphis Depay is third at €33m, Old Trafford team-mate Luke Shaw is ninth on €25m while Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma is 11th on €22m.

Liverpool duo Emre Can and Divock Origi, Everton's John Stones and Arsenal defenders Calum Chambers and Hector Bellerin also feature in the top 20, but it is the inclusion of Sterling that is of most interest.

Brendan Rodgers has made six signings this summer but once again the future of one of the Reds' key players looks set to be the main narrative of the window.

Luis Suarez's move to Barcelona dominated the last summer mercato and Rodgers could ill-afford such a saga to dominate the off-season again.