Raheem Sterling's desires to depart Liverpool and enjoy higher wages at a bigger club are widely known, but a third party joined the fray on Wednesday. According to the Daily Mirror (via Goal Transfer Talk), Manchester United will offer their arch rival £25 million for Sterling this summer.

Per the report, manager Louis van Gaal is convinced he can lure the 20-year-old to Old Trafford. Especially with Aidy Ward, Sterling's manager, stirring the pot at Anfield.

"I don't care about the PR of the club and the club situation. I don't care," he told the London Evening Standard (via ESPN FC). "He is definitely not signing. He's not signing for £700, £800, £900-thousand a week. He is not signing."

"My job is to make sure I do the best with them [my clients]. If people say I am bad at my job, or they are badly advised, it does not matter. I am not worried. Worried is making a decision not knowing what is going to happen. Every premier league club will make a bid for him."

Wednesday's report proved Ward right.

The question is: Will Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers stay true to his word and ensure that Sterling returns next season?

"[His] concentration should be on his football," Rodgers said in April when asked about the possibility of losing Sterling (via ESPN FC). "If his ambition is to win trophies, that's aligned with what we do here. Raheem has two-and-a-half years left on his deal and he's not going anywhere in the summer."

With Arsenal, Real Madrid and now Manchester United sniffing around, however, that will be easier said than done.