Raheem Sterling scored a hattrick as Manchester City thrashed Norwich City 4-0 at Carrow Road on Saturday evening and was hailed by Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports.
The 27-year-old has been outstanding of late and is undroppable under Pep Guardiola right now, but it wasn’t too long ago that his future at the Etihad stadium was up in the air.
Sterling admitted being unhappy over the summer after being left out of some big games for Man City. The England international was also linked with Barcelona and reports at the time suggested he had an interest to move abroad.
Sterling ended up staying but is out of contract in 2023, so an exit could still be on the cards if City can’t tie him down to a new deal. Redknapp can’t imagine him at any other club, however, saying on Sky Sports (h/t Manchester Evening News): “He’s fundamental.
“You look at where he could perhaps go, and he’ll have options to go anywhere, but the lure of say Real Madrid and Barcelona aren’t quite what they were a few years ago, if they can afford him.”
Redknapp isn’t wrong, with Barcelona in debt and Real putting their money to signing Kylian Mbappe. Sterling’s market value is £76.5m and is only going to rise the better he plays too.
He’s scored 12 goals with four assists in 30 games this season and is one of two people to have bagged double figures in each of the last five Premier League campaigns, so he’s indispensable to City.
Redknapp added: “For him to be (at the Etihad), it just feels like the right fit. I think only Messi and Aguero have scored more goals under Guardiola as a manager, and it shows you the importance. They work together, it feels right with him there.
“He scores so many goals, his movement, desire, getting into those areas just to get those tap-ins he does. He doesn’t score many goals that get you up off your seat, but he knows where the goal is. Important moments in games, he just gets in the right areas. He’s so difficult to defend against.”
Sterling had a new contract on the table in 2021 before parting ways with his agent, leading to talks stalling. City are confident he will commit his future to the club before the summer, but time will tell.
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