Sterling Claims New Liverpool Signings Will Help Make Him Even Better

Liverpool prodigy Raheem Sterling believes the arrival of new players will press him to work even harder to become a better player next season.

The 19-year-old was a sensation during the last campaign, finally overcoming his bad reputation off the pitch to excel with both the Reds and England.

And he believes that the new signing of Adam Lallana, Ricky Lambert, Lazar Markovic and Emre Can will help him become a better player.

"I've still got to prove myself; the manager has brought players in that are all in similar positions to me, so I've just got to keep working hard, show the manager what I can do and try not to take my foot off the gas, pressing for a place in this team," said Sterling.

"It's a top football club with top players, who come in to compete and do their best every day. That's been no different so far [in training].There is definitely much more to come from me. I just need to keep working hard and hopefully I can get into my full stride this season and try to do the best for the football club."

After a sensational run of form for the Reds during the latter part of the season, Sterling was one of the few positives notes during a disappointing World Cup campaign for England.

"I didn't listen to it too much. I was told by some of my family, who told me to keep going and to try not to listen too much and play my game."

Asked what he learned from the World Cup, he said: "It was a great experience for a young player to go into such a major tournament.

"It was a real honour and I learned a lot from it. Hopefully that can benefit me going forward with Liverpool. There were different sorts of tactics and players, so it was really good to be up against. It will be good for me in my learning curve going forward.

"Coming close to winning the Premier League with Liverpool and then not qualifying out of the group with England was kind of a disappointing end to the season. But it has been a good short break."

Sterling joined up with his Liverpool teammates in Boston last weekend.