Raheem Sterling has admitted he would have signed a contract for lower than £100,000-a-week if he had been offered a new deal this time last season.
The 20-year-old has stalled contract talks until the summer after rejecting the club's offer of £100,000-a-week wages, a huge increase on his current £35,000-per-week salary.
But the English international, who netted his first goal for his country last week, admitted had the same offer been put on the table this time last year, he would have probably signed for less money.
"If, at that point in time, I was offered a contract, I most definitely would have signed straight away, probably for far less money than being said now," he said. "I just think the timing was a bit off."
Sterling added: "I keep hearing I've rejected all sorts of contracts. Me, the club and my reps have spoken about it and put talks on hold until end of season, so it's frustrating to hear the contract situation keep going on and on. I just wanted to get my point across on the whole thing."
As a result, the exciting Liverpool prospect, who won the 2014 Golden Boy award a few months ago, has been linked several clubs across Europe including the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and a little closer to home, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal.
"I try to kill it off, but I don't think the public can see it that way," Sterling said. "I think they just see it as this 20-year-old boy being greedy.
"I just want to take the time to think about what I've achieved in my career so far, where I need to go and what I need to do to get better as a player.
"In my head I've sat down and thought about it (his future). But, at the end of the season, I just want to sit down with the club and my representatives. I will definitely give guarantees when the season has finished."
Many have labelled the 20-year-old's actions to turn down such an increase in wages in Liverpool's last offer as a sign of his greed, but Sterling insists that money is not his mindset.
"The public just think you want more and that's not the case at this moment in time," he continued. "I'm just a kid that loves playing football. That's how it's been since I was a young kid. I've never ever wanted to demand anything off no-one, I'm just trying to demand the best of myself.
"I want the best for me and I want to reach my goals that I set out as a young kid. They've had their dreams when they were playing and that's no different for me.
"Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I won't really take any notice of what they're saying.
"I would never want the fans to think bad of me, to think I just want as much money for myself. I want them to understand it's been a bit much for me this season, with everyone talking about it every minute."
Sterling admits that whilst his future continues to be up in the air, he is still happy at the club - insisting the relationship he maintains with boss Brendan Rodgers, who a few weeks ago insisted to the press that Sterling would sign an extension soon, remains amicable.
"Everyone's dream growing up is seeing themselves in an away kit somewhere in a sunny country. But, in reality, I'm happy to be playing for Liverpool and trying to win trophies.
"I speak to Brendan on good terms. He calls me when he needs to talk to me and I can talk to him when I want.
"There's nothing bad to say or think about Brendan. He's been really good to me since I came into the team and he's always tried to help me."
But whilst Sterling, who has 10 goals and eight assists in all competitions for the Reds this season, remains content on Merseyside, he admits that some of the figures that the club have lost in the past 12 months have been hard to swallow.
2014 PFA Footballer of the Year Luis Suarez left for Barcelona last summer in a £75 million deal with Barcelona, whilst Steven Gerrard will swap L4 for LA in a few months time as he plies his trade in the MLS. That has had a knock-on effect in the Liverpool camp, Sterling suggests.
"You really want to be working with world-class players day in, day out," he said. "It's obviously left a little dent, these two world-class superstars leaving, but I think we have good players coming through at Liverpool."