Spanish giants see Sterling as the real deal
Raheem Sterling not only found the net twice against Spain last week to end his England scoring drought but the Manchester City forward now finds himself being hunted by Real Madrid.
According to the Daily Express, Sterling’s goals in the Three Lions’ sensational 3-2 win in Seville has convinced the struggling Spanish giants to make a move for the 23-year-old, who is out of contract at City in 18 months.
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Real’s 2-1 defeat at home to Levante on Saturday was their fourth loss in five games, making it their worst run of league results since 1985. New coach Julen Lopetegui, whose side remain fifth in La Liga, is under immense pressure and the Express says that Real president Florentino Perez is ready to come to his aid by making a bid for Sterling in January.
Perez is ready to meet Man City’s asking price of £100m after he was blown away by Sterling, who ripped Spain apart with his pace and precision.
The Express says that City are “likely to fight any attempts to lure him away even though they know his value will only decrease the less time he has to run on his contract”.
Contract stand-off
But if that’s true then why, asks the Sunday Mirror, are the Sky Blues playing hardball with his contract demands? Back in August the paper disclosed that City were reluctant to give the England striker a pay rise to take him to the £300,000 a week earned by the likes of teammates Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero.
Currently on £175,000 a week, Sterling has been offered a new deal that would bump him up to £200,000. But the Mirror says that so far City “have been unable to broker an agreement”, and that could offer hope to Real Madrid.
The paper adds that Barcelona are also interested in Sterling, adding that the City star “has long harboured ambitions about playing abroad, with La Liga his preferred destination”.
Pep wants Sane to sign
One player that City boss Pep Guardiola most definitely doesn’t want to lose is Leroy Sane. The Sun claims that the Spanish gaffer “has urged” the Manchester City board to tie down the young German to a new deal.
The paper says that the winger’s representatives “have been in talks with the club for several months” but there has been no breakthrough as yet.
While Guardiola sees no cause for concern at this stage he wants Sane to put pen to paper sooner rather than later for his own peace of mind.
Dortmund eye Prem youngsters
The success of Jadon Sancho’s move from Manchester City to Borussia Dortmund could see the German club target more Premier League youngsters.
It’s reported by the Daily Mirror that Dortmund have “identified the next three English wonderkids they want to take to the Bundesliga”.
Man City midfielder Phil Foden, 18, is on the Dortmund target list as well as two 17-year-olds - Liverpool’s Bobby Duncan and Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi.
