Sterling has revealed that Gerrard played a key role in helping him become the player he is now while he was making his breakthrough at Liverpool, and is out to replicate that role with Chelsea's youngsters this season and beyond. The former Manchester City star is 29, but only one player in the club's first-team squad is older than he is.

Chelsea have brought in a vast number of wonderkids as they attempt to future-proof their first-team squad. Sterling, as a result, feels it his responsibility to help the likes of Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke fulfil their potential.

Sterling told Chelsea's website: "I’m a person that just wants to see players do well and fulfil their potential,’ Sterling explains. ‘If there is something I feel I can help with..it’s not trying to tell them what to do, it's trying to be a positive influence. That’s what you need in football: positive influences.

"Being a senior player and seeing a young player, there are two ways you can go about it. You can be negative and try to put them down or you can be positive and give them as much confidence in the group so they can perform on the pitch.

"When I was coming through at Liverpool, Steven Gerrard literally put his arm around me when he had more than enough things on his plate. He showed me the right direction, gave me the right messaging, and led by example of how it is to be a professional."