Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
City feel Sterling is still value
PEP GUARDIOLA insists that Raheem Sterling’s contract stand-off with Manchester City will not influence his team selection this season.
Sterling, who has two years left on his deal, is refusing to sign an extension unless he is given parity with the club’s £300,000-a-week top earners Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero.
Guardiola has told the £49million England star that he wants him to stay at the Etihad.
Sunday Mirror Sport understands Sterling, 23, wants to commit himself to the Premier League champions.
But only if City agree to meet his demands when his agent Aidy Ward meets again with the club’s director of football Txiki Begiristain.
Guardiola is adamant that the £60m club-record arrival of Riyad Mahrez from Leicester will not see Sterling sidelined if he continues to stall.
Guardiola said: “There is no doubt we want Sterling.
“He knows that and his agent knows that. We made it clear from the day I arrived.
“But deals are deals, agents are agents and players are players, so I don’t know what is going to happen.
“But I assure you that the club, myself, the sporting director and all his team-mates want him to stay longer.
“Of course, we now have Mahrez to play on the right, the left or the middle, but that doesn’t influence Raheem at all.”
City, though, are aware that if they fail to broker an agreement with Sterling in the next 12 months his value in the transfer market will start to fall.