Liverpool FC have rejected an audacious enquiry from their bitter rivals Manchester United over the availability of wantaway Raheem Sterling.

The 20-year-old and his agent Aidy Ward are set to tell club officials, including manager Brendan Rodgers and chief executive Ian Ayre, that the player does not intend to sign a new contract with the Reds later this week.

Sterling has already rejected a number of deals, one of which proposed wages worth £100,000-a-week to the English international, with a number of clubs circling around the highly-rated forward.

Despite having already completed a deal for PSV Eindhoven's Memphis Depay in a transfer worth £25 million earlier this week, Louis van Gaal is prepared to put aside the bitter rivalry between both clubs to chase down Sterling.

But Liverpool's north-west rivals have been told that Sterling, who has featured in 35 of the Reds' 37 Premier League games this season, is not available - despite the youngster agitating for a move.

Sterling is viewed as a key player in Rodgers' first-team, having been named the club's Young Player of the Year earlier this week for his tally of 11 goals and seven assists in 51 appearances in all competitions.

United remain interested in the player though it is their intercity rivals Manchester City who are leading the race. City are rumoured to be keen on tempting Sterling with a lucrative £150,000-a-week package as an incentive to make the switch to the Etihad Stadium, as they look to build around a fresh core of young homegrown talent. 

Liverpool's resolve may be tested by a bid in the region of the £45-50million, but the Reds are content to hold Sterling down on his current contract - which earns him £35,000-a-week and does not run out until 2017, as they look to hold onto his talents.

Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group are believed to be uninterested in allowing Sterling to move to another Premier League club, though numerous clubs are believed to be monitoring proceedings, including Chelsea and Arsenal.

Sterling will hold another round of talks this Friday, which will expectedly include discussing the prospect of moving to another English club - which is believed to be Sterling's wish.