KINGSTON-UPON-HULL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 28, 2015: Liverpool's Raheem Sterling feels a pain in his back against Hull City during the Premier League match at the KC Stadium. (Pic by Gareth Jones/Propaganda)

“Raheem Sterling is doing Liverpool a favour by staying away,” says former player

Former Liverpool defender Jim Beglin believes Raheem Sterling is doing the team a favour by missing training.

KINGSTON-UPON-HULL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 28, 2015: Liverpool's Raheem Sterling feels a pain in his back against Hull City during the Premier League match at the KC Stadium. (Pic by Gareth Jones/Propaganda)

The England international was absent from the squad’s pre-season preparations at Melwood for the second successive day after reporting in ill again.

It is understood Sterling has already spoken to manager Brendan Rodgers this week to tell him he did not want to travel on the tour to Asia and Australia.

“Sterling is doing LFC a favour by staying away,” Beglin wrote on Twitter.

“You don’t want that kind of attitude anywhere near a dressing room.”

The squad are due to fly out to Thailand on Sunday ahead of their first friendly against a Thai All Stars side in Bangkok next week.

Sterling has been the subject to two failed bids from Manchester City, the last an offer of £40 million, and they continue to monitor the situation.

Liverpool remain adamant the England international will not be allowed to leave for anything below their £50 million valuation – a price City appear unwilling to meet.

Protocol dictates Sterling has to be assessed by the club’s medical staff to determine the extent of his illness and if he is deemed to be fit enough to train there is the possibility of him being fined.

Despite another missed training session Liverpool remain determined to have him on the plane with the rest of the squad on Sunday.

The relationship between the player and club has deteriorated since Sterling rejected a £100,000-a-week contract offer in January.

Since then he has given an interview, unsanctioned by the club, in which he stressed he was not “a money-grabbing 20-year-old” and his agent Aidy Ward added more fuel to the fire by insisting Sterling would not sign a new contract “for £900,000-a-week”.

While Sterling was missing from training on Thursday, striker Mario Balotelli rejoined the squad after being compassionate leave following the death of his adoptive father.

Off the field Press Association Sport understands former Reds midfielder Gary McAllister has held talks with Rodgers regarding the vacant first-team coaching position.

On Monday Sean O’Driscoll was confirmed as the new assistant manager, following last month’s sacking of Colin Pascoe, and while Pepin Lijnders has been promoted from the academy to become development coach there is still a coaching position to fill after Mike Marsh’s contract was not renewed.

Ahead of the club’s tour Jordan Henderson is also expected to be confirmed as the club’s new captain, having deputised on many occasions last season for the now-departed Steven Gerrard.