Raheem Sterling could be open to a loan move to Barcelona if he fails to cement a regular place in the Manchester City XI by January.
Barcelona has made it no secret of their desire to sign Raheem Sterling whose game time has been reduced this season. However, their current financial constraints could make a bid for the 26-year-old problematic. As such, Sterling is committed to winning back his place in City’s staring team but could be open to a loan move to the Catalan giants if all else fails.
He said, “If there was the opportunity to go somewhere else for more game time, I would be open to it”.
“Football is the most important thing to me. With the challenges that I have set myself from a young age and dreams to go abroad as well. As an English player, all I know is the Premier League and I’ve always thought one day I’d love to play abroad. To see how I would come up against that challenge”.
To regain his position, the England international will have to compete with £100m summer signing Jack Grealish who is staring in the majority of the matches.
As revealed in 2019 by Xavi, the new Barcelona coach had earmarked Sterling as a player he wanted to sign should he ever take over at the Nou Camp and Joan Laporta is now looking at structuring a deal.
However, Barcelona’s current financial constraints could make a bid for the England striker problematic. Sterling earns up to £300,000 a week at the Etihad and Barca would be expected to subsidise a percentage of those wages in a loan deal.
As it stands, Sterling is heading into the final 18 months of his current deal with Man City. And this season, he has started only three Premier League games and was unused substitute in City’s clash with United at Old Trafford.
It is therefore understood that negotiations over a new deal with City have reached a standstill.