Sterling's Liverpool Contract Talks Cancelled

Liverpool have cancelled contract talks with Raheem Sterling and his representatives which had been due to take place on Friday.

Sterling's agent Aidy Ward had earlier told Sky Sports News that he denied quotes attributed to him in the London Evening Standard over the Liverpool forward's future and would be seeking legal advice over the article.

Ward had been due to meet Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre on Friday to discuss Sterling's future - and had been expected to tell the club Sterling would not be signing an extension to his existing deal, which still has two years to run.

The 20-year-old was booed by some Liverpool fans as he accepted the club's young player of the year award at Tuesday night's end-of-season awards ceremony.

Sterling and his agent have also been roundly criticised by many involved in football, with Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry warning Sterling he risked "destroying his life and career" by listening to "bad advice".

Former Liverpool defender and fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has also slammed the way Sterling - and his representatives - have acted.

"For a 20-year-old kid to be taking on Liverpool Football Club over a contract, to the pit of my stomach that just winds me up, it angers me," Carragher told Sky Sports.

"You keep your mouth shut - get on with playing football."

Manchester United are reported to have made an enquiry about Sterling, but senior sources at Old Trafford have said he is not on their list of targets.

And speaking at a news conference to announce the latest England squad, Roy Hodgson refused to answer questions on Sterling's future, saying simply: "I won't be sticking my nose into that business at all."