Enjoy Raheem before he gets lured to La Liga
MANCHESTER CITY fans should enjoy the supreme quality of Raheem Sterling while they can.
For in football’s ever changing landscape, nothing is forever.
If you were Barcelona, would you splash out on party boy Neymar or Sterling’s deadly boots?
Real Madrid still haven’t replaced Cristiano Ronaldo, so little wonder that Sterling (above) is on their radar.
And, as soon as the clock ticks into 2020 in 66 days’ time, Sterling’s future and a new deal are tipped to appear on the agenda, despite a contract upgrade exactly a year ago.
Sterling will look to double his current package and become the highest-paid player in the Premier League on more than £500,000 a week.
After another goal – his 13th in 14 City games – to set Pep Guardiola’s stars on the way to victory against Aston Villa, you’d imagine Abu Dhabi will be falling over themselves to cough up.
Because losing the striker would be a frightening prospect for their ownership and fans – especially with David Silva and Sergio Aguero nearing the end.
The City and England star will have completed five years at the Etihad next summer after his acrimonious departure from Liverpool in 2015.
And whispers are already starting that, even though the trophies have flowed his way and life at City is good, it’s by no means a tap-in that he’ll sign away the best years of his career on another long-term deal to stay put.
Not with a talent that’s transportable to the very best arenas European football can offer.
Not when he can claim to arguably be the most dangerous attacker in the world game right now.
And certainly not when the 24-year-old can live an experience City just can’t match.
For, despite having unlimited wealth, the simple fact is City can’t offer the all-consuming adventure of a Bernabeu or a Nou Camp.
As much as Sheikh Mansour’s billions have created a culture of winning, the Etihad isn’t a cathedral of football or a stadium to get the pulse racing. Not when the club employ a PR agency who advertised for social media ‘influencers’ to help promote the atmosphere on Champions League nights.
Sterling’s stock has never been higher – and no wonder when he continues to operate at a level so far above the rest.
His speed, movement and deadly finishing are a constant nightmare for opponents, who know what he’s going to do, but just can’t stop him.
Sterling capped off a good week because, after his 11-minute Champions League hat-trick in midweek, he was the catalyst for victory against Villa.
Sterling isn’t just special, he’s “unstoppable” according to Villa boss Dean Smith.
And Guardiola admitted he was proud his striker “showed the way” for the rest of his players with aggression and desire in a patchy first half.
But 23 seconds into the second half, City caught Villa cold with a Route One goal. Gabriel Jesus challenged Tyron Mings for Ederson’s long punt and the ball fell for Sterling, who fired home.
He teed up Jesus after a terrible pass by Bjorn Engels, but Mings made up for his earlier error to divert the shot over.
City, though, didn’t have long to wait to secure the points, killing off Villa with two goals inside five minutes.
First, Silva got the final touch on a wicked Kevin De Bruyne cross that flew past an unsighted Tom Heaton, with Villa boss Smith claiming Sterling was offside.
Ilkay Gundogan wrapped up the scoring – but it was Sterling who once again proved the difference.