Why Manchester City should rebuff any offer made by Real Madrid for Raheem Sterling
European champions Real Madrid have reignited their interest in Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling, reports the Sky Sports.
Real Madrid will send club representatives to watch Sterling in action for England against Spain at Wembley in the Uefa Nations League on September 8. However, Sky Sports adds that an offer for the England international is unlikely to come in before the transfer window shuts on Friday.
The winger enjoyed the best campaign of his career last season, scoring 23 goals in 46 matches as City won the Premier League title with a record 100 points. Sterling, 23, has two years left on his current contract but there is no sign of a breakthrough in negotiations for a new contract.
If this drags on, it would leave Pep Guardiola and City with a big dilemma next year, with the delay certain to alert Madrid, who are monitoring the developments closely.
Real are planning for life after Cristiano Ronaldo and are under pressure to sign big names before the European window shuts on August 31. And although it is unlikely that they would make an offer for Sterling so late in the transfer window, the mighty pressure of having not brought in any stellar names this summer could tempt them make a sensational bid at the 11th hour.
Sterling may have failed to set the globe alight during England’s run to the semi-finals of the World Cup but he was a crucial figure to City’s title triumph last season. In fact, Sterling has been a player reborn under Guardiola and his importance at club level is very high.
The 23-year-old has fit quite magnificently into Pep’s side, forming a prolific attack alongside the likes of Sergio Aguero, Leroy Sane and Kevin De Bruyne – an attack that ripped apart defences at will last season. Sterling’s form is on the upward trajectory and will undoubtedly improve under Guardiola in the years to come by.
Kevin De Bruyne’s lateral collateral ligament lesion injury, which is set to keep him out for an estimated three months makes Sterling ever so important now for Guardiola’s City. So it is vital for City to keep hold of Sterling who has his best years ahead of him.
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It would be foolish on City’s part to sell a high-profile player like Sterling and the England international himself would know how he has drastically improved under Guardiola. So it is a situation where both parties need to arrive at a solution before things get messed up and Real notch away the former Liverpool ace, who joined Man City for £49m in 2015.
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