Raheem Sterling could quit Man City for Euro giants as talks scheduled – pundit
Raheem Sterling may need a “fresh challenge” and could be lured away from Man City by Champions League winners Real Madrid, according to Noel Whelan.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, claimed the 27-year-old “isn’t getting enough game time” under Pep Guardiola.
According to The Times (31 May), Real Madrid have stepped up their interest in Sterling as he ponders a potential Etihad Stadium exit.
The report claims the winger will sit down with Man City executives to decide whether to commit his future to the Premier League champions.
Sterling is out of contract at the end of the 2022-23 season.
Whelan insisted there “aren’t many” players able to resist the pull of a footballing powerhouse like Real Madrid.
“I think there are very few clubs capable of prising a player away from Man City right now,” he told Football Insider‘s Russell Edge.
“You’re talking about Barcelona, Real Madrid, and possibly Paris Saint-Germain. It would be extremely difficult to turn them down.
“The history says it all for Real Madrid, and Sterling would enhance them even more and give them another option.
“It’ll be a tempting offer. There aren’t many who can say no to Real Madrid when they come calling.
“He’s won pretty much everything at Man City, so maybe he just needs that fresh challenge. This certainly isn’t the first time this has been spoken about.
“He just isn’t getting enough game time.”
Sterling has scored 131 goals in 339 games for Man City since joining for a reported £49million in 2015.
The England star started 23 of a possible 38 league games in the 2021-22 campaign.
In other news, Kieran Maguire claims Man City have “dropped the ball” amid alleged £1.1billion fraud.