Raheem Sterling Could Leave Manchester City

[Dave]

Pep Guardiola fears a fight to keep Raheem Sterling after admitting the £100 million-rated Manchester City and England winger’s fine form has put him firmly in demand.

Sterling is due to enter the final two years of his existing £180,000-a-week contract this summer.

City want to extend his deal and are prepared to offer a substantial pay rise but Sterling’s impressive displays have caught the attention of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris St-Germain.

Sterling’s valuation could soar again if he thrives for England at the World Cup finals in Russia and Guardiola is aware the 23 year-old – who has scored 20 goals is all competitions this term - is increasingly sought after.

“No doubt, it is so important [to keep Sterling]. But the deals are the deals. The agents, circumstances, maybe other clubs are interested in him,” the City manager said ahead of Saturday's trip to Everton.

“In terms of contracts I’m not the guy, it’s Txiki [Begiristain, the director of football] that is talking about that.”

City will clinch the title against rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium next Saturday if the club match each other’s results this weekend. It is a far cry from City’s previous visit to Goodison Park in January last year when they suffered a humiliating 4-0 loss – the heaviest league defeat of Guardiola’s managerial career – and the Catalan admitted he had feared the worst if results did not improve.

“In that moment I thought that could happen, that it doesn’t work and at the same time I thought, OK, if next season it’s not going well, if it’s the same then Txiki or Ferran [Soriano, the chief executive] or the other people would decide, ‘OK, Pep, you are not good enough with those players to do what you can do and change’.

“I am not saying that because now we are in this position. I said last season many times when I was asked, I am going to insist [playing this way]. Of course if it’s not going well and we are not winning, you think, ‘What do we have to do?’ That is normal. All the managers think the same when they don’t win.”

[The Artful Dodger]

Be silly. Guardiola is improving him majorly and I do think looks better in that team than maybe he will be anywhere else.

[Dr. Gonzo]

The only place I think he'd look better than he does now is at Barca. Doesn't make sense to leave for him though, he's developing really nicely at Citeh.

His agent is probably angling for a move to PSG or something though.

[Pep Talk]

not sure why he would even consider going to PSG. They play in a poor league and flop each year in the CL

[LFCMike]

53 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

Sterling has been laughably mediocre up until this season, he should remember that before being a cunt.

Nah, he's still just 23 years old and has hit double figures in his last five seasons. He's always been a great talent but a little inconsistent like most young players. I thought Guardiola might help him take his game up another level or two and that is what's happening

[LFCMadLad]

2 hours ago, Cannabis said:

Sterling has been laughably mediocre up until this season, he should remember that before being a cunt.

Laughably mediocre? Do you actually have an incling about football whatsoever? As Mike said, he’s hit double figures every season from being 18 years old. 

Get ready for the fishing gif. 

[Happy Blue]

Whats Sterling's value now, 100million?  ..young boy with world class potential, has to be

[Danny]

No player in their right mind who constantly gets played would want to leave Guardiola, mental. City will offer him what he wants, he will sign.

He's another player the British press have built up and then turned on.

Was made out to be a judas when he left Liverpool and I'm sure the same will happen again if he ever leaves City.

[Marc]

The title of the topic or article is pretty misleading. All Pep says is of course he wants to keep Sterling, you should put the source for the article. This is just click bait shit.

 

[RandoEFC+]

Can't really see him leaving. Another couple of years if he keeps developing he could go to Barcelona or Real Madrid for a new challenge maybe but for now it would make no sense to leave, especially for PSG.

[RandoEFC+]

 

[Danny]

Would be a massive opportunity for him to go to Real, regardless of being able to work with Guardiola now. I'm sure the media will find a problem with it/him.

[Smiley Culture]

But...but...he was England’s worst player at the World Cup?! 

As much as City might be on a journey, there’s two clubs on the planet I think you just can’t turn down and Real are one of them. 

Still, I’m sure the red top papers will find a reason to resent him. Probably because he’ll go there and he’s not become fluent in Spanish in the two hour flight. 

[Harry]

This would be even stupider than when he left Liverpool. Aidy Ward looking to grandstand again at the expense of his clients popularity and reputation?