According to a recent report by The Metro, Premier League giants Manchester City are said to be considering offering English star Raheem Sterling a new contract, that would make him the highest-paid player in the club’s history. The 24-year-old’s current tenure at the Etihad Stadium is set to run until 2023, but his performances have been so breathtaking over the past couple of seasons that the Citizens chiefs have decided to fast-track the process.
The Englishman is currently earning in the region of £300,000 per week, but this new lucrative contract would see him become the club’s biggest earner at around £380,000. This new deal would take the youngster into the same wage bracket as Manchester United’s David De Gea, who commands a similar amount. The Englishman’s contributions to the City team cannot be underplayed and saying that he doesn’t deserve this new deal would be a very questionable argument.
What Has Changed In Sterling When Compared To His Liverpool Days?
The Englishman star first came through the Liverpool ranks as a speedy winger who could get around the pitch with ease and deliver a mean cross as well. Once he started getting regular playing time at Anfield, it became clear that the youngster could become an excellent dribbler as well. Extremely young and somewhat immature at the time, he didn’t really show too much consistency.
Under Pep Guardiola’s adept managership though, the Englishman has blossomed into one of the most productive wingers in world football today. He dribbles, passes, shoots and even defends, depending on what his team requires of him in a particular situation. He is unquestionably at his best in the final third though, with the ball at his feet, chalk on his boots and the wind in his hair.
What Is Sterling’s Current Situation At Manchester City?
The Englishman is a regular starter at the Etihad Stadium and is only dropped from the first-team when Guardiola thinks that he deserves a rest. He is a highly energetic winger who doesn’t mind putting in a shift for the benefit of the team. It means that he isn’t shy to track back and help out in defence – a trait that all professional managers will love in their wingers.
Although his work-rate and attitude are the biggest transformations, it has to be said that his quality in the final third has also gone up tenfold. He strikes the ball with great conviction, and seems to ooze confidence while attacking as well. So far this season, the youngster has played in 14 league matches and found the back of the net on eight occasions. More impressive though, are his UEFA Champions League stats – five matches, five goals and three assists.
Why Manchester City Must Tie Sterling Down As Soon As Possible
A player of Raheem Sterling’s magnitude switching from a club like Liverpool to Manchester City is a rare occurrence, and the Citizens should consider themselves extremely lucky to have got their man. Scoring 84 goals and creating 70 assists from just over 200 matches for the club is an unbelievable return for a 24-year-old, and that is only one of the many reasons why Raheem Sterling deserves to be the Citizens’ torch-bearer for many years to come.
