Raheem Sterling 'left furious & deeply offended' after ex-Liverpool chief claims Chelsea star and FOUR other black players might have ended up in jail if they hadn't made it in football

Former Norwich director of football Webber is quoted by The Pinkun as claiming that Jonny Rowe, Abu Kamara, Max Aarons, Jamal Lewis, and Sterling needed their careers in football to work out "because the alternative is potentially jail or something else". Sterling and the other three players, per The Mirror, were left furious by the comments and one reached out to Webber personally to ask him to explain himself, with the report claiming that he has since apologised to some of the players and their families.

While Webber is reported to have communicated with some of the players mentioned, he has not spoken to Sterling or his family yet, and it is unclear if the two will talk directly. Webber worked with Liverpool as director of recruitment from 2009 to 2012 before moving to QPR. He has also worked with Wolves and Huddersfield Town, along with Norwich.

Sterling has made 25 league appearances for Chelsea this season, scoring six goals and registering six assists. He has been linked with an exit from the club to move to Saudi Arabia but he is set to snub that opportunity as he attempts to recapture his best form at Stamford Bridge.

It remains to be seen if Sterling will receive an apology from Webber before Chelsea play Burnley next weekend. The Blues are currently down in 11th in the Premier League table, but do have an FA Cup semi-final tie against Sterling's former club Manchester City to look forward to.