In a recent tweet, renowned journalist Matteo Moretto has claimed that Barcelona are eyeing a move for Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling this summer. It is understood that the Catalans are willing to sell off some of their players to fund a move for the Man City speedster in this off-season.
El Barça piensa en Raheem Sterling que puede dejar al City de Guardiola este verano. Esta claro q es un negocio muy complicado y el club de Laporta tendría que meter jugadores en el medio para rebajar los costes de la operación 🏴
— Matteo Moretto (@MatteMoretto) June 7, 2021
Sterling’s Impressive Numbers In English Football Last Season
Sterling has experienced a campaign of mixed emotions at the Etihad Stadium as he struggled to find consistency but did well to fire his team towards winning the league title and the EFL Cup earlier this year. The England international banged in 14 goals and provided 12 assists in 49 matches for the Mancunian giants last season across all fronts.
The 26-year-old has proven his worth as an influential winger by averaging 2.3 shots, 1.3 key passes and 2.1 dribbles per game in the 2020-21 Premier League campaign. He even managed to distribute the ball relatively well in the final third after he completed 86.2% of his attempted passes in the top tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
Is Sterling The Right Choice For The Catalans?
Sterling boasts blistering pace that allows him to breeze past his marker out on the flanks. He has a low centre of gravity and can make some clever turns in and around the opposition penalty box. The 61-time England international can even score and set up goals frequently in the Premier League but is yet to catch the eye with his performances in the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League.
Even then, Sterling is an immensely talented winger and would easily walk into Barca’s first team next season. We can expect the English wide player to bring plenty of pace, goals and creativity to the Nou Camp. He is also versatile enough to play anywhere across the frontline. Pep Guardiola has often used him as a left-winger but he is also proficient at playing as a right-sided wide player or as a false forward down the middle.
At 26, Sterling is playing at the peak of his playing career, so the Catalan outfit can expect to make the most out of his services if they manage to fund a move to land him during this summer transfer window. A player of Sterling’s quality will be a decent choice for Barca as he will bolster their attacking options significantly for the new season and could also help them challenge for some major trophies over the next few seasons.
