Where next for Raheem Sterling? England winger reveals he could quit Manchester City

Raheem Sterling has admitted he is considering moving abroad and quitting Manchester City.
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The England international has struggled for game time in the Premier League this season, despite enjoying a stellar Euro 2020 tournament with England in the summer.

Sterling scored 14 goals for Man City last season, but has only started two league matches this time round and is exploring other options.

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Speaking at the FT Business of Sport US summit, Sterling said: “If there was the option to go somewhere else for more game time I would be open to it … As an English player all I know is the Premier League and I’ve always thought: ‘You know, maybe one day I’d love to play abroad and see how I would come up against that challenge.’”

After such a successful career at the Etihad Stadium - winning three Premier League titles and six domestic trophies - there is likely to be a host of clubs all over the world keen on signing the former Liverpool winger.

We take a look at some of the clubs Sterling could join if he is to leave the Pep Guardiola’s side...

Barcelona

Barcelona have already been heavily linked with a move for Sterling and the winger’s latest comments will be a boost for the Catalan giants.

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The La Liga side have been in the middle of a financial crisis so it is unknown whether they could afford the pricetag and salary of Sterling - who signed for City for £49 million in 2015.

Barca also still have the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele on the books, while Pedri was confirmed to have signed a new deal with the club yesterday.

A move to Spain could be a nice change for Sterling, however there is no doubt that Barcelona are far from the side they once were.

PSG

Paris Saint-Germain have gained one of the most talented squads in the world over the past year - acquiring one of the scariest front threes we have ever seen in Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

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The French club have high expectations since signing the former Barcelona winger in the summer and anything other than the Champions League trophy at the end of the season will be a disappointment.

While a move to a Paris would appear very tempting, Sterling would probably be even less likely to get into that team than if he was to stay and battle the likes of Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva.

While there have been rumours that Mbappe is set to leave the Ligue 1 club, PSG are likely to have their sights set on someone like Erling Haaland to replace the French international.

Real Madrid

Similar to Barcelona, Real Madrid are no longer the team they were when the had the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka among their ranks.

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However, the Spanish giants still sit top of La Liga and could definitely provide Sterling with some first team football if they are to get rid of some of the ‘dead wood’ such as Gareth Bale and Luka Jovic.

Bayern Munich

A move to Germany has proved hugely successful for numerous English players including Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham and Manchester United’s summer signing Jadon Sancho.

The German side have dominated the Bundesliga for years and haven’t disappointed in the Champions League either - it would likely be guaranteed silverware for Sterling if he opted for a move to Munich.

Sterling would be up against former Man City teammate for a spot in the starting XI, while Serge Gnabry would also be particularly difficult to dislodge from the right-wing.

Arsenal

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Raheem Sterling hasn’t rejected the possibility of staying in England quite yet and so it is no surprise that moves to Premier League clubs have been spoken about.

Given Arsenal’s form over the past few years, it is likely Sterling would walk into that team, however it may also be seen as a step down for the 26-year-old.

The Gunners have failed to finish higher than fifth in the Premier league since 2016 and are enduring their first season without European football in 26 years.

A move to the Emirates Stadium would depend on whether Sterling was happy with first team football rather than an ambition of playing Champions League football and winning league titles.

Tottenham Hotspur

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Similar to Arsenal, a move to Spurs would most likely guarantee Sterling minutes on the pitch.

Son Heung-min is a permanent fixture in the starting XI and is easily one of their best players, however a place on the opposite wing is up for grabs with the likes of Bryan Gil, Steven Bergwijn and Lucas Moura yet to make it their own.

A move to Spurs seems unlikely for Sterling given the current state of the club, with current boss Nuno already facing the sack after only a couple of months into the season.

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