LIVERPOOL WIN RACE FOR SUPER STARLET

STERLING: Signs for Liverpool for initial £500,000

Rangers kid Raheem Sterling signs for the Reds

LIVERPOOL have completed the £500,000 signing of QPR teenager Raheem Sterling.

The Reds beat off competition from Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Fulham to sign the striker, who only turned 15 in December.

Liverpool confirmed last night that they have made an initial down payment. The fee will rise, depending on appearances, to a figure believed to be £2million.

Sterling will join up with Liverpool's academy players this week. He has not played a first-team game for Rangers.

The England Under-16 international was a VIP guest at Anfield for Liverpool's win over Manchester United earlier this season. But he was also spoken to by Arsenal's academy director Liam Brady and watched by United's Brian McClair.

City were prepared to offer £1m plus two players to capture Sterling, who has been compared to Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott at that age.

Fulham thought they had struck a £1.5m deal with QPR which would have spared Sterling the trouble of moving home. But Rangers were not keen to sell to their west London neighbours.

Former Rangers boss Jim Magilton was on the verge of giving Sterling his first team debut in December before he was sacked.