Brendan Rodgers believes Raheem Sterling's advisers will agree a deal to keep him at Liverpool even if they don't qualify for the Champions League next season.

The 20-year-old winger's agents, Impact Sports Management, have been in talks with Anfield chief executive Ian Ayre to extend a contract that currently runs until 2017.

 

But there is no indication that a deal will be signed soon, even though Rodgers revealed in early October that discussions were underway.

"I'll never be surprised that teams are linked with Raheem," he said. "He's such a big talent, who's just turned 20 years of age. He's a wonderful young player and a very mature young man. I'm quite relaxed about it.

"We're a club who are trying to build something here. We were on a path for a couple of years, and we've had to come off that path since the summer. We lost some players and we've had to regroup again.

"He's a real talisman for this team. He's been a great example of the progress that a lot of the players have made here. He's gone from being the youngest team player to one of the top players in European football.

"The club, I'm sure, will work very hard, and Raheem's happy here. He loves being a Liverpool player. So I'm sure, between the club and the representatives, we can get a deal done that sees him go on and develop what is an exciting career."