Arsenal have reportedly joined Barcelona and Real Madrid in the race to sign Raheem Sterling from Manchester City this coming summer.
According to a report by Daily Mail, Raheem Sterling could be put on the chopping block by Manchester City in the summer transfer window. The 26-year-old English international, though, is a wanted man in Europe, with Arsenal, Barcelona and Real Madrid all keen on signing him.
Sterling has established himself as one of the best players in the Premier League since joining Manchester City from Liverpool in the summer of 2015. It is particularly under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola that the 26-year-old has been nourished into a world class footballer. However, 2020/21 has been a season to forget for him.
While the English forward does have a respectable tally of 14 goals and 12 assists in 49 outings in all competitions, he was constantly in and out of the side, with Phil Foden usurping him over the course of the campaign. And now, Sterling appears set to be put on the transfer list by Manchester City this summer, which has piqued the interest of Barcelona, Real Madrid and even Arsenal.
Barcelona’s interest in Sterling is a fresh development, with the Blaugrana have been largely linked with strikers till now. In fact, the Catalan giants are set to greet the arrival of two Manchester City players, with Eric Garcia and Sergio Aguero set to make the switch to Camp Nou. And, Sterling is a viable target for Barcelona as well, considering the uncertain futures that Ousmane Dembele and Francisco Trincao are facing.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, have been on a long-standing pursuit of Sterling, whose versatility means he could play across the frontline. With the likes of Marco Asensio, Rodrygo Goes and Vinicius Jr. blowing hot and cold, in addition to Eden Hazard’s fitness woes, it is understandable why the Merengues are keen on signing Sterling.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are fresh entrants in the race to sign the 26-year-old, in the wake of the fact that Willian, who is eager to seal a shock return to Chelsea, is facing an uncertain future at the Emirates. However, the fact that Sterling will command a sizable transfer fee works against them.
What also puts Barcelona and Real Madrid well clear of Arsenal in pursuit of the English international is the fact that they can offer Champions League football, while the Gunners cannot offer any form of European football. Having said that, it will be interesting to see if Manchester City do indeed put Sterling up for sale and where he ends up subsequently.