Sterling move confirmed

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers confirmed Monday his team plans to sell Raheem Sterling to a rival club as he played down reports of an acrimonious rift over the restless England forward.

Speaking in Bangkok where Liverpool have begun a pre-season overseas tour, the Northern Irish manager confirmed Sterling would leave, subject to passing medical tests.

He declined to confirm where the 20-year-old was going or how much for, but British media say Sterling will go to Manchester City in a deal worth over £49 million ($76 million, 68 million euro).

"The club has agreed with another club a deal for him to be transferred. Subject to a medical that will go through," Rodgers said.

"Contrary to probably the last week or so in terms of what was written, Raheem and I have always remained very strong in our relationship and have been right up until we left. So there's no issue there," he added.

Sterling's refusal to commit to Liverpool has angered the club's supporters, who jeered him at an end-of-season awards dinner.

Rodgers's relationship with Sterling cooled considerably when the player turned down a lucrative new contract worth £100,000 per week in January this year.

Two months later, Sterling's relationship with the Liverpool hierarchy became even more strained when, in an interview with the BBC given without the club's approval, he confirmed he had rejected the Reds' latest contract offer.