Raheem Sterling will complete a remarkable turnaround in fortunes by becoming an England poster boy this summer.

England kit suppliers Nike want to utilise Sterling’s appeal in their global marketing strategy at the World Cup in Brazil.

The sportswear giants want the teenager, who already has a sponsorship deal with them, to feature in advertisements promoting Nike England merchandise in the lead-up to the tournament as they look to cash in on the World Cup.

The Liverpool forward spent the first few months of this season on the peripheries of Brendan Rodgers’s plans. But a rapid transformation in his form has resulted in Sterling, 19, getting an international recall for next week’s friendly against Denmark — a call-up first predicted by Sportsmail on February 10.

Should he continue his progress, the pacy forward has a major chance of being named in the England squad for this summer’s World Cup.

Jamaican-born Sterling will win his second England cap if he is called on by Hodgson at Wembley next week.

Theoretically, he could still opt to play for Jamaica as he has not played a competitive match for England’s senior team yet.

Jamaica still harbour hopes — but it is looking increasingly likely that the Anfield forward’s career rests with England. The earliest opportunity the FA have of playing Sterling in a competitive match is in the World Cup opener against Italy.

Meanwhile, Rodgers has revealed pep talks are ensuring Luis Suarez remains the driving force behind Liverpool’s push for the title.

The Uruguay striker, 27, will make his 100th start in the Barclays Premier League at Southampton this evening and the top flight’s leading scorer will want to celebrate by ending a run of five games without a goal.

And Rodgers said: ‘Even if you’re an outstanding player you still want that encouragement.

‘That’s something I’ve done and reinforced with him but he knows what I think of him and he knows how much we value his efforts as a team player.

‘In the last 33 goals we have scored, he has got four. That really shows we are a team.

‘Nearly 50 per cent of the goals we score either come from him or are assisted by him.

‘It shows you the influence he has. It is also a great pointer to what he is. People may have looked at him and thought that he plays for himself but he has been a remarkable team player for us.’

—Daily Mail