In Focus: Sterling could pay price as value drops

Raheem Sterling’s Manchester City contract runs out at the end of next season — and his future at the Etihad Stadium is far from certain.

The winger has featured less regularly this term than in previous seasons and may be sold in the summer, rather than being allowed to leave for free in 2023.

Ahead of City's clash with Brentford tonight, we take a look at Sterling’s situation at the club and potential destinations should he depart.

Reduced minutes for Raheem

Sterling, 27, has featured for 1243 minutes across 19 Premier League appearances this season — that is around 60% of City’s total top-flight playing time.

Should he maintain this average until the end of the campaign, he will have racked up 2,054 minutes of league football.

That is a clear reduction in game time for Sterling, who has played at least 2,500 minutes in the competition for each of the last five seasons under Pep Guardiola.

Drop in production

Guardiola’s apparent lack of faith in Sterling is perhaps a result of his drop-off in production since the start of last term.

In 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20, Sterling registered 36, 40 and 35 combined goals and assists across all competitions — averaging at least 0.81 contributions per 90 minutes in each of those campaigns.

Last season, however, he managed just 14 goals and 10 assists at a rate of 0.58 contributions per 90, with a marginal improvement of 0.63 per 90 this time around.

Could he stay?

Admittedly, Sterling has found himself in Guardiola's XI more regularly of late, having started the season largely on the bench.

The England star has started 10 of City's last 12 Premier League games, having only been in the line-up for three of the first 11.

However, in an interview back in October, Sterling revealed a desire to leave City for Europe in search of more minutes.

He said: "If there was the opportunity to go somewhere else for more game time, I would be open to it."

Guardiola’s response was clear — accept the role given to you by the coach or feel free to consider alternative options.

He said: "Some players want to play all the time but I can’t assure them of that. Always they have to speak on the grass — not Raheem, all of them.

"What I want from Raheem and everyone is for them to be happy. If that’s not the case, he has to take the best decision for his family."

LaLiga link

In that October interview, Sterling cited LaLiga as a division he would particularly like to test himself in.

Should he move to Spain, it is likely he would be of interest to one or both of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The Blaugrana conducted business with City just last month to sign Ferran Torres and also raided Wolves for Adama Traore. 

But while that demonstrates a willingness to sign Premier League attackers, their financial situation makes a move complicated.

Madrid could also be a potential destination, with high-profile signings always popular at the Bernabeu — although with Kylian Mbappe allegedly set to arrive in the summer on a bumper contract, money may also be tight for Los Blancos. 

Parisian plans?

Rather than playing alongside Mbappe, it may be that Sterling finds himself targeted as a replacement for the Frenchman.

The 23-year-old’s expected departure to Madrid on a free at the end of the season leaves a gap in Paris Saint-Germain’s star-studded attack — and City's No7 could be the perfect fit to link up with Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Unlike Barca and Real, money is no obstacle for PSG, with the Ligue 1 giants able to meet City’s demands and offer Sterling an attractive contract.

A move to the French capital could be the 72-cap international’s most likely route out of Manchester this summer.