Raheem Sterling tells Brendan Rodgers he wants to leave Liverpool as club prepare for last-ditch talks with want-away forward

Liverpool will hold crunch talks with starlet Raheem Sterling, this week after the forward told manager, Brendan Rodgers, he wants to quit the club.

Sterling spoke privately to Rodgers before the recent 1-1 draw at Chelsea and made it clear he does not want to stay at Anfield.

But the England international has agreed to a final round of discussions with the club as the Reds make a last-ditch attempt to convince him his future is on Merseyside. 

Raheem Sterling (pictured ahead of Liverpool's game at the weekend) could be packing his bags this summer

Sterling privately told Brendan Rodgers he wants to leave Liverpool and a number of clubs are interested

Former Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher, however, reckons it's time Sterling kept his mouth shut and got his head down on the pitch.

Sterling has refused to pen a new five-year deal because he is unconvinced by the club's ability to challenge for silverware.

The forward wants to continue playing Champions League football, something that will not be available at Anfield next season.

He also feels he is being undervalued by the current £90,000-per-week deal on the table.

In addition, Sterling is unhappy with the club choosing to release details about the offer, insisting the deal is worth £100,000-per-week. 

Sterling has plenty of admirers willing to offer more than Liverpool - the Premier League's top four clubs, Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United are all watching developments closely while Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus are also interested in the 20-year-old.

But, Sportsmail columnist Carragher is fuming at the way Sterling has been going about his business.

Speaking on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, he said: '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.

'The lad is from London and he obviously wants to go back home. It might not be about money. It may be about trophies or playing in the Champions League.

'If it's about trophies, Liverpool had a chance for a trophy this year - in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley against Aston Villa. Where was Sterling?

'If you want trophies, they don't get given to you, you have to earn them, you have to play well in big games. 'What did Liverpool do in the Champions League? Nothing. What did Raheem Sterling do? Nothing”.

'To do what he's done now, there's nothing worse than that. You keep your mouth shut - get on with playing football”. 'You can't have a 20-year-old kid going up to the club asking for this and that every year. It's your job to take the club to these places.'

Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports: 'To the pit of my stomach that angers me.'

Gary Neville believes Sterling's representatives are misguiding the player, who is attracting interest

Gary Neville, speaking alongside Carragher after West Brom's 3-0 victory over Chelsea, argued that Sterling's representative Aidy Ward has made the error.

He said: 'I genuinely believe you should make your own mistakes. Liverpool is a great football club, offering a great opportunity to Raheem Sterling. He's got two years left on his contract. It cannot be the right thing to go out and do these kind of things.

'Your job is to keep them out of the headlines, make the football headlines, not make the controversial headlines.'

Carragher also feels Sterling's contract situation would not have happened had he been brought up in the Liverpool area. 

Speaking to Manchester United fanzine United We Stand, Carragher said: 'See the situation with Raheem and his contract. That wouldn't happen if he was a local lad but he's not. He doesn't get it the same. I loved the fact I was playing for my local club after coming through the ranks but he doesn't feel the same way.'  

Sterling (pictured right battling with Palace defender and former team-mate Martin Kelly) could leave the club

Liverpool will hold a final set of crunch talks with Sterling this week to decide the forward's future

Liverpool legend John Barnes has also had his say, urging Sterling to stay because he is not guaranteed first-team football elsewhere.

Barnes told BBC Radio 5 live: 'Raheem has not achieved anything, he has not won anything.

'Does anyone believe that if he goes to Manchester City he will be the first name on the team sheet or are they just signing him because they need English players?'

'Raheem has great potential, but Liverpool gave him an opportunity and he should stay for a couple of years.

'The time is not right for him to move, but if he wants to move the club should sell him. The manager cannot keep an unhappy player.

'This idea of leaving one huge club to join another huge club does not sit well with me, but it is a modern era where the power is in the players' hands.'

Liverpool will use this week's talks to convince Sterling to sign fresh terms.

Rodgers insists Sterling, who has just over two years left to run on his current £35,000-per-week contract, won't be allowed to leave even if he doesn't sign a new deal.

But it remains to be seen whether Liverpool are prepared to let Sterling run down the remainder of his contract and risk the prospect of losing him for nothing in 2017.

Sterling currently earns £35,000-a-week at Liverpool, and has just over two years left on his current contract