Police probe launched into Twitter threats against Raheem Sterling's daughter and racist abuse as forward leaves Liverpool for Manchester City

  • Raheem Sterling is on the brink of leaving Liverpool for Manchester City
  • The England international has been subjected to racist abuse on Twitter
  • One user threatened Sterling's three-year-old daughter Melody Rose
  • Another said that he hopes to see Sterling's kit 'soaked in his own blood'
  • Merseyside Police have opened an investigation into the tweets 

By Joe Strange for MailOnline

Published: 06:33 EST, 13 July 2015 | Updated: 09:26 EST, 13 July 2015

Police have opened an investigation into vile online abuse aimed at Raheem Sterling after Liverpool agreed a £49million deal to sell the forward to Manchester City.

The 20-year-old, who has been trying to force through a move away from Anfield for months, is set to become the most expensive English player of all time when he signs on at the Etihad.

But the deal has left some supporters angry, with Sterling being targeted with racial abuse and threats against his three-year-old daughter, Melody Rose, on the social media website.

Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling has been subjected to racist abuse and violent threats on Twitter

Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling has been subjected to racist abuse and violent threats on Twitter

Vile: Some Liverpool fans reacted with fury to reports of the impending transfer and send the player abuse

Sterling's three-year-old daughter, Melody Rose, was also threatened in a tweet by Twitter user @Bestellia

Sterling's three-year-old daughter, Melody Rose, was also threatened in a tweet by Twitter user @Bestellia

One user, @Bestellia, tweeted on Sunday evening: 'I'm going to hunt your daughter down and lock her up you f****** n*****! Betraying my club for money, typical f****** b*****!'

While @xRaheemGo wrote: 'I still hope to see Sterling in a red kit again. Not playing for Liverpool, but his City kit being soaked in his own blood. That'd be nice.'

In a reply to user @Bestellia, @_NH44 wrote: 'f****** black c*** literally hope he f****** dies snake c***. He's not English he's Jamaican.'

@MediopakiEN tweeted: good riddance to that n***** sterling', while @patricolfcryer wrote: 'Glad sterling's gone hope he flops at city big headed little c*** his agent can f*** himself too'. 

Sterling was also referred to as a 'c***' in a number of other messages posted to Twitter, with his representative, Aidy Ward, also coming in for abuse from supporters.

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: 'The language used in these tweets is abhorrent. 

Sterling pictured in training with former Liverpool team-mate Andre Wisdom earlier this pre-season

Sterling, pictured in training with Andre Wisdom, is set to join Manchester City in a £49million deal

Sterling will complete a medical and negotiate personal terms with Manchester City this week

Sterling will complete a medical and negotiate personal terms with Manchester City this week

'We are taking the incident extremely seriously and an investigation by detectives in Liverpool CID is on-going. 

'People who use the Internet to target others and who commit criminal offences such as harassment or hate crime in doing so are not beyond the law and can expect to be brought to justice.' 

Last week teenager Joe Adams was sent hundreds of abusive messages by fans who believed his phone number belonged to Sterling. 

The 17-year-old received 500 calls and 300 texts after his number was posted online, with at least one message reading: 'Kill yourself'.  

Sterling arrives at the Hope Street Hotel in Liverpool on Friday
Sterling endured a difficult season with Liverpool as the club finished sixth last term

Sterling trained with his Liverpool team-mates on Friday (left) but is now on the verge of leaving the club

Adams, who was sent racist abuse according to his father, told The Sun: 'When I realised what it was all about I just found it a bit strange.' 

City will finally complete a deal for Sterling this week after having two bids rejected by Liverpool before agreeing a deal worth £45m plus £4m in add-ons. 

Sterling, who has been made aware of the abuse by Merseyside Police, did not fly with his team-mates to Thailand on Sunday for their pre-season tour of the Far East and Australia, instead staying behind to negotiate his contract at the Etihad.

He will earn considerably more than the £100,000-a-week deal he rejected at Liverpool last season as he becomes the third most expensive signing in Premier League history. 

RAHEEM STERLING CONTRACT TIMELINE

Early January - Sterling offered a new contract worth £100,000-a-week and suggestion is deal will be done within a month.

January 22 - On the contract negotiations manager Brendan Rodgers says: 'I would think that would be concluded very imminently. The player is very happy.'

January 29 - One week later Rodgers adds: ''I'm sure it will be sorted and organised very soon. He sees his long-term future here. He is very happy with his progress and how he is developing.'

February 9 - The tone from the club changes as Rodgers reveals Sterling has been offered an 'incredible deal' but adds: 'It is not a case of giving any player - I'm not talking about Raheem here I'm talking in general - what they want.'

March 20 - Rodgers announces Sterling and agent Aidy Ward have requested a halt is put on contract negotiations until the end of the season.

April 1 - Sterling gives a lengthy television interview - not authorised by the club - in which he claims, among other things, he is not a 'money-grabbing 20-year-old'.

May 18 - Reports emerge suggesting Sterling is to tell Liverpool he will not sign a new contract.

May 19 - Sterling's agent plays down contract stories, suggesting the significance of the meeting they requested with Liverpool has been 'blown somewhat out of proportion'.

May 21 - Liverpool cancel contract talks after Ward is quoted in the London Evening Standard as saying Sterling will 'definitely not' sign a new Liverpool deal even if they were offering him £900,000 a week.

May 24 - Sterling heckled by Liverpool fans over contract dispute when he was an unused substitute as the Reds' 2014-15 campaign ended in a dismal 6-1 defeat at Stoke.

June 9 - Steven Gerrard, speaking at the launch of BT Sport's Champions League coverage, warns Sterling of the risks of forcing a move from Anfield, saying: 'I think the frustrating thing for me would be if he went to a club and became a squad player and just another number and he didn't have that chance to progress. That's the risk.'

June 11 - Liverpool reject £25million bid from Manchester City.

June 17 - Liverpool reject an increased second offer of £40million from Manchester City.

June 18 - Footage posted on The Sun's website shows Sterling apparently inhaling laughing gas for a second time while on holiday in Ibiza.

July 8 - Sterling fails to report for Liverpool training, citing illness.

July 10 - Sterling resumes training but is reported to have asked Rodgers if he can be allowed to miss the club's pre-season tour of Asia and Australia.

July 12 - Liverpool accept a third offer of £49million from Manchester City on the same day the Reds squad head out on tour without Sterling.

Comments (63)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

 View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now