Barcelona have reportedly been handed a major boost in pursuit of Raheem Sterling, with Manchester City unwilling to sell him to Arsenal.
According to a report by Catalan outlet El Nacional, Manchester City are pondering the possibility of dealing with Barcelona over a deal for Raheem Sterling. The English international is also a target for Premier League rivals Arsenal, who are not favoured for transfer talks by the Citizens.
Raheem Sterling has come leaps and bounds since joining Manchester City from Liverpool in the summer of 2015 in a controversial move. Now a player capable of producing world-class moments and winning games on his own, the 26-year-old has been a key figure for club and country in the last few years.
However, while he continues to go from strength to strength at international level, Sterling has suffered a dip in fortunes when it comes to his stature at Manchester City. 2021/22 has been a season to forget so far, with the English international managing just one goal and two assists in 14 appearances. However, that has not detracted prospective suitors, with Barcelona and Arsenal hot on his trails.
The interest from Barcelona makes sense, especially in the wake of the latest setback suffered by Sergio Aguero. With the Argentine striker sidelined for the foreseeable future, Barcelona need to make at least one major addition to their attacking unit in the January transfer window.
Therefore, Sterling, who is capable of playing through the middle, is a viable target for the Catalan giants. In theory, the Englishman could forge a dynamic attacking unit with Memphis Depay and Ansu Fati, making Sterling an appealing option for Barcelona. On the other hand, Arsenal’s interest in the 26-year-old is interesting.
With Nicolas Pepe continuing to blow hot and cold this season, there is a sense that added support for Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe could come in handy for Arsenal. That is where Sterling comes in, with the player potentially being a long-term solution out wide for the Gunners.
However, Manchester City are hesitant in doing business with Arsenal, while they have no qualms over dealing with Barcelona. So, with the Blaugrana handed a boost in pursuit of the English ace, it remains to be seen if they manage to secure his services in January or if he ends up joining some other club instead.
