Raheem Sterling set for showdown Man City talks after Euro 2020
By Tom Gott
Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling will sit down with the club after Euro 2020 to discuss his future, with a move away from the Etihad Stadium still a possibility.
Sterling, whose contract has two years left to run, endured a disappointing season under Pep Guardiola last year. He managed ten goals and eight assists in the Premier League and was not always a consistent starter, which put his spot in the England team under threat.
He showed his worth with an excellent performance in his country's 1-0 win over Croatia on Sunday, and unsurprisingly, The Telegraph state that City are keen to secure his future and tie him down to a new contract.
Talks have been planned for after Euro 2020, when Sterling wants to find out whether rumours he could be used in a swap deal for Tottenham's Harry Kane are true. The winger is not interested in being forced out of the club, but that doesn't necessarily mean he wants to stay.
In fact, The Athletic state that Sterling would be keen on a move this summer if a bid arrived for him. He was frustrated by Guardiola last season, clashing with the boss after he was dropped in March, and he hinted at problems at the Etihad which prevented him from reaching his best form.
"There’s a lot of different reasons why I haven’t scored for my club and that’s totally irrelevant now," he said after the Croatia game. "I’m here with England now, enjoying my football and that’s the most important thing. I'm just happy to score."
City do not want to lose Sterling this summer, but a big offer may change their stance, and the same goes for Portugal international Bernardo Silva.
Silva is understood to be determined to leave the club this summer after seeing a move to Barcelona break down last year. He has voiced his desire to leave, and according to Mundo Deportivo, the Spanish side have made it clear that they want him again this year.
Silva and City teammate Joao Cancelo are both believed to have their hearts set on a move to Barcelona, and this is where reports of Guardiola's meeting with Barcelona president Joan Laporta come in.
Guardiola offered Barcelona their pick of seven players to use in a swap deal which would bring Sergi Roberto and Ousmane Dembele to the Etihad, and now all the signs suggest it could be Silva and Cancelo who head in the opposite direction.
There have been some suggestions that it could be Sterling who is used in the swap deal, but the 26-year-old will reject any move that leaves him feeling forced out. He wants to decide his own future, which could still see him stay at City.