This is getting a little out of hand now, isnโt it.
Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling is one of the hottest properties on the market as the 20-year-old has made it abundantly clear that he will not sign a new $150,000 per week contract with the Reds.
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That fact has put the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City on red alert, with the latter already having two bids turned down for Sterling, the latestย in excess of $60 million.
And, according to Sky Sports in the UK, Chelsea has now effectively ruled themselves out of the running to sign Sterling from Liverpool.
Sky claims that Chelsea will not bid a penny more than $60 million for Sterling, and Man City have already had an offer of that exact moment turned down by Liverpool who do not want to sell Sterling and are keen for him to remain at Anfield withย his current deal running until 2017. Chelsea donโt really need Sterling. They possess fine wingers in Eden Hazard, the reigning PL Player of the Season, plusย Willian, Juan Cuadrado and Mohamaed Salah battling it out for the other wing spot. What on earth would Jose Mourinho do ifย Sterling was added to that speedy stable of wingers?
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So, itโs over to City now as the race for Sterlingโs signature continues to spiral out of control. The England international is undoubtedly one of the finest talents on the planet under the age of 21. But is he really worth a fee upwards of $70 million which, now Chelsea seems out of the running, City are likelyย to cough up? You could argue that only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are worth those kind of sums, but in this day and age when obscene stacks of cash are thrown around in world soccer circles, Sterling will get his pay day โ he claims it is not about the cash but about the potential to win trophies โ and so will Liverpool if they hold their nerve.
Despite recent issues with UEFA Financial Fair Play rules, City have struggled on and money is no object for their Abu Dhabi-based ownership group led by Sheikh Mansour. Sterling would be a huge upgrade for City on their current crop of wide players with Samir Nasri and Jesus Navas injury-prone and inconsistent, while Sterling would also boost Cityโs number of homegrown players which theyย are inย desperate need of doing.
With one main player for his signature seemingly out of the game and Liverpool signing Brazilian attacker Roberto Firmino from Hoffenheim for $45 million, it seems like the endgame is in sight for the Sterling saga.
