This summer’s most talked about transfer so far has been Raheem Sterling’s move from Liverpool to Manchester City. The 20-year old Englishman’s services cost Manchester City a fortune. Having agreed wages of around £200,000-a-week, Sterling’s record breaking transfer of £49m makes him not only the most expensive U-21 player but also the the most expensive Englishman ever. Such a fee demands breathtaking performances week in week out and it remains to be seen if Sterling is worth all the effort. Well, at least, his talent is unquestionable but perhaps doubts still linger over the forward’s attitude.
On the flip side, Sterling, with the exceptional talent he possesses, is just 20 years old. It’s a fresh start for a young player who’s been subject to immense speculation in recent weeks. The nature of his departure from Liverpool certainly hasn’t gone down well with the mereseyside club and their supporters but there’s hardly a doubt concerning his ambition to play for trophies. Something which City stand a better chance of providing than Liverpool.
In a total of 52 appearances for Liverpool last season, Sterling managed to get on the score sheet 11 times. Not a bad tally for a 20 year old. If there’s something we’ve seen and learnt from the very recent seasons gone by is that his evolution as a player has been drastic and that under the right tutelage, Sterling’s vast potential can very well be molded into a genuine world class player.
Top class players get along best with players of their own ilk, and Sterling even though being relatively young, is no exception. One of Sterling’s biggest assets is his versatility to operate anywhere across midfield and attack. Such a wide skill set, pace, drive and an all round game which still has a lot of room for improvement can become a terrific asset for City especially considering the quality of players they already have.
The former Liverpool and Queens Park Rangers man can potentially form a devastating partnership with new teammates like David Silva and Sergio Aguero. The Spaniard at times, has been the only creative force for City in recent times. Sterling can not only share this responsibility but also learn a wide range of things from Silva, who’s been one of world football’s best attacking midfielders in recent times. The combination of devastating pace, trickery and movement the three could offer will provide a stern challenge to the best of opposing defenses.
On the bigger picture, money hasn’t been an obstacle for Manchester City in recent years. Even though Sterling’s huge fee raises many eyebrows, the Manchester club were on the look out to add young and more importantly English talent, and Sterling ticks both the boxes.
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