Gary Neville has said that he believes Liverpool could become a "provincial" club if Raheem Sterling is allowed to leave in the summer.

The 20-year-old's agent has revealed that the England international is unwilling to sign a new deal with the Merseysiders, which could lead to his exit in the summer, having been linked with Arsenal and Manchester City.

Neville feels that the Reds are in danger of becoming a feeder team if they continue to allow players such as Sterling and Luis Suarez to leave Anfield.

"There is a wider context to this story and it centres on how Liverpool have gone from being from one Europe's great superpowers to one which is in danger of becoming a provincial club," Neville wrote in The Telegraph.

"If you compare Liverpool to Manchester United over the same period of time, I can think of only one player - Cristiano Ronaldo - who left when he wanted to go, rather than when Sir Alex Ferguson wanted it to happen."

Liverpool cancelled talks with Sterling and his agent Aidy Ward following the comments of Ward on Thursday.