There has been much hype surrounding the future of Raheem Sterling in recent weeks.
The former Queens Park Rangers youngster signed for Liverpool back in 2010 and has since seen a great amount of personal success with the Merseyside club. At just 20 years of age, he has already made well over 100 appearances for the Reds.
The pace, trickery, control and sheer skill he continues to display has gathered much attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs and with Liverpool’s below-par performance last season, it seems certain that Sterling’s time at Anfield is all but over. Manchester City look the most likely to land the England international’s signature, as Manuel Pellegrini looks to have made him a top priority signing.
City have been rumoured to be offloading a number of players before the start of next season, as they look to bolster their squad with younger talent. The likes of Edin Dzeko, Alvaro Negredo, Stevan Jovetic and Jesus Navas are all expected to exit the Etihad before the start of next season.
As City are set to lose many of their attacking options, Sterling’s versatility is exactly what they will be looking for. The Sky Blues have already had two bids rejected by Liverpool, but are now willing to give it one last try by tempting Liverpool with a £40 million bid. Liverpool’s failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League has made it all the more likely that Sterling will opt for a move to City.
Sterling has been a regular starter at Liverpool since 2012, the same year in which he earned his first England international call-up. He performed relatively well last season, having been used as a makeshift false nine on numerous occasions, as Liverpool struggled up front either due to form or injuries.
With his move to City seemingly not far from being completed, we look at what Sterling could add to City.
Open spot
Samir Nasri and Jesus Navas did not have the best of seasons in 2014-15 as they struggled with injuries and form respectively. Navas made 42 appearances for City, managing only a goal and nine assists in all competitions. Nasri on the other hand struggled with injuries, as he managed only three goals in his 29 appearances. Sterling would find it easy to fit right in and shrug off any competition from the City wingers. The Englishman possesses the pace of Navas and also the skill of Nasri, making him an obvious choice ahead of the two. With the amount of money the Citizens are willing to spend on Sterling, it is all but certain he will become a regular starter for the club.
Home-grown talent
Although born in Jamaica, Sterling is eligible to play for England and is also recognised as a home-grown player, as he moved to London at the age of seven. City are in desperate need for English talent after James Milner, Micah Richards, Scott Sinclair and Frank Lampard all left the club, leaving City with only two British players in Joe Hart and Richard Wright. The league’s player registration rules require clubs to register a minimum number of home-grown talent (eight), adding all the more reason to why City are chasing Sterling’s signature.
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Trio with Silva and Aguero
If City are to add Sterling to their squad, one can only imagine what their attacking trio might look like. David Silva and Sergio Aguero have both enjoyed fantastic seasons with the Citizens, combining in stellar fashion numerous times. Aguero won the Premier league Golden Boot last season after he scored a staggering 26 league goals and 32 in all competitions, whereas Silva scored 12 and assisted 12 in the league itself. Adding Sterling to that attacking lineup would make for a dangerous partnership up front. The mere thought of having these three talents play alongside each other will surely give Premier League defenders nightmares, to say the least.
Pellegrini and his men endured a trophy-less season last term but will be eager to get back to winning ways next season. European success will be high on City’s agenda for next season and the signing of Sterling will definitely bolster their chances. Sterling is only one of the many players City are looking to sign but can easily be one of the club’s biggest ever signings.
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