Liverpool attacking midfielder, striker and winger Raheem Sterling became controversial after refusing to sign a new contract with the Premier League football team even if offered with a £900,000 weekly salary.
The young football player received negative reactions from fans upon hearng this news. Some even booed Sterling when he took his 'Young Player of the Year' award.
Graeme Souness, former Liverpool captain in the early 1980s, understand the fans' reaction and that they had the right to act out the way that they did.
"If he's privately making it known he wants to leave Liverpool then that word soon gets out and supporters are entitled to turn on him," Souness stated in an interview with Sky Sports.
"Just maybe someone should whisper in his ear and tell him he is not going anywhere." the former captain added.
Sterling's representative Aidy Ward insisted that the issue has been misinterpreted, which is ruining his client's image. "The story has been blown somewhat out of proportion... we have a meeting scheduled with Liverpool later this week and we will take proceedings from there," Ward stated.
Ward was supposed to meet with chief executive Ian Ayre and manager Brendan Rodgers of the Liverpool Football Club to talk about the team's plan for Raheem Sterling.
The meeting was cancelled after the football player's refusal was reported by the London Evening Standard.
Ward received backlash for allegedly giving the 20-year-old the wrong pieces of advice. Just last January, Sterling's representative refused to accept an increase in his client's salary, which amounted to £35,000 per week.
Besides football fans, famous sports personalities have spoken up and expressed their dismay upon hearing the news.
"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. You keep your mouth shut - get on with playing football," former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said in an interview on Sky Sports.