GET ME STERLING
Zidane puts City wing king top of his wishlist as Real back his return with £300m summer spree EXCLUSIVE
REAL MADRID are targeting Raheem Sterling as part of their plan to rebuild the squad.
Zinedine Zidane is a major fan of the Manchester City winger who has enhanced his reputation this season with brilliant performances during their quadruple-chasing bid.
Real are bracing themselves for a £300million-plus summer spree with Neymar, Eden Hazard and Christian Eriksen also on their wishlist.
But they are also now watching Sterling closely after he emerged as one of the biggest stars of the Premier League.
They have been big admirers in the past, looking at him in 2014 and again last August when they sent scouts to watch him. Real now want to back Zidane’s return to the Bernabeu with major signings and he is a long-time admirer of Sterling. His progress this season has sent his reputation soaring as he has scored 21 goals for club and country with 12 assists to drive City’s title push and run in the Champions League. Sterling also scored twice as England won in Spain in the Nations League in October. City are certain to fight to keep the 24-year-old, who signed a new £300,000-a-week contract until 2023 last November.
They will also be keen to keep their squad in tact in the face of long-running worries about potential transfer bans.
Pep Guardiola will need Sterling to continue his blistering form in their Champions League quarter-final clash with Tottenham next month.
Despite avoiding Liverpool, neighbours Manchester United, Juventus and Barcelona in the last eight, the City boss is in no doubt as to the size of the task of playing Spurs.
He said: “Never in my life have I said it would be easier in this situation – I know Tottenham quite well and I know how good they are up front.
“They have Son, Kane, Alli and Eriksen behind with his set-pieces. Any team has strong points and weak points, the same with us, which we try to discover.
“But Mauricio Pochettino has my respect and he knows it. He has done an incredible job and has some talented players.”
Spurs will face City three times in 11 days next month with their Premier League meeting following the two legs of their quarter-final.
City are favourites to reach the last four but Harry Kane is relishing the test of trying to dump the champions and after the draw he tweeted: “Bring it on.”