Sterling in stalemate over deal
MANCHESTER CITY’S £200million pursuit of Harry Kane and Jack Grealish has coincided with talks over Raheem Sterling’s new contract failing to progress.
Sources at the Etihad insist there is no panic over the England winger’s future as the 26-year-old still has two years left on his current deal.
But the plan was for Sterling to commit the peak years of his career to City before the start of the new season.
After a summer in which he starred for his country at the Euros, his stock has never been higher.
Sterling is one of the club’s highest earners on £300,000 a week.
But he struggled towards the end of last season and Pep Guardiola wants to increase his attacking armoury by adding Tottenham captain Kane and Aston Villa playmaker Grealish to his already formidable squad.
A bid understood to be just under £100m has been lodged for Grealish.
And although prising Kane away from Spurs is proving tough, the belief at the Etihad is that the striker’s determination to grasp a new challenge will weaken his chairman Daniel Levy’s resolve.
It could be Sterling wants to see how he fits into Guardiola’s new blueprint before signing a new deal.
City are close to agreeing a new £175,000a-week contract to secure the future of John Stones.
The England defender has been outstanding for the last year when it seemed he was on his way out of the Etihad after Ruben Dias arrived.
But it has been Aymeric Laporte who has struggled to hold down a regular place as Stones’ dramatic return to form saw him emerge as the preferred partner for Footballer of the Year Dias.
Stones has been given extra time off following the Euros and will miss Saturday’s Community Shield clash with Leicester.