Liverpool’s Rodgers confident Sterling will be fresh for the new season

Brendan Rodgers believes Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling will be fit for the start of the new season.

The 18-year-old was not included in Stuart Pearce’s England Under-21 squad for the European championship in Israel next month due to his ongoing injury problems.

Sterling was a regular feature in Rodgers’ side for the first half of the season but he did not a Premier League game for the Reds since a 2-1 loss to Manchester United in January.

Rodgers revealed Sterling was managing a chronic muscular injury and needed the summer to continue his rehabilitation but should be fit for the start of the new campaign.

“I spoke to Stuart Pearce about it and our medics were in conversation with the England doctors,” Rodgers told Liverpool’s website.

“Everyone was in agreement that we need to look after the long-term situation with Raheem.

“He’s obviously had a chronic problem where he’s been playing and working through it. But we needed to give him recovery and rest. He will be better for that. He’s making progress and he will be fresh for the beginning of the season.”

Sterling has scored two goals in 39 appearances for the Reds after making his first-team debut in a 2-1 loss to Wigan Athletic in March 2012.