Barcelona are reportedly closing in on securing the services of 26-year-old Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling in January.
According to a report by Catalan outlet El Nacional, Barcelona are inching closer to confirming their second signing for the January transfer window. Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling looks set to join the Catalan giants on loan this winter.
Raheem Sterling joined Manchester City from Liverpool in the summer of 2015 and has since established himself as one of the best attacking players in the Premier League. However, in the past year or so, his stature at the Etihad has fallen considerably, with starts coming few and far between for the English international.
The 26-year-old has started just six of the 18 games that Manchester City have played this season, raking in two goals and as many assists in the process. Despite not starting week in week out for the Premier League champions, Sterling is rated quite highly by prospective suitors. And one club that is hot on his trail is FC Barcelona.
Barcelona had been keen on signing Sterling in the summer transfer window, but a move failed to materialise. The interest has not waned since, with recent reports claiming that the Blaugrana are prioritising a January loan move for the Manchester City forward.
The eagerness to sign Sterling makes sense, considering Ousmane Dembele is on the sidelines for the foreseeable future due to his latest injury, while Sergio Aguero and Martin Braithwaite are also unavailable. With Ansu Fati yet to recover complete fitness, it is imperative for Barcelona to bolster their attack in January.
However, with their financial situation continuing to be precarious, Barcelona will have to pursue loan moves instead of shelling out big sums to sign players permanently. And as per recent reports, Manchester City are not averse to the idea of dealing with the Catalan giants for Sterling.
However, a price tag of £45 million has also been mentioned, and it is unclear whether the Premier League champions are open to loaning the 26-year-old out instead of selling him permanently. So, with a few details yet to be sorted out, it remains to be seen if Barcelona can quickly secure the services of Sterling, as they close in on landing him.
