Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling‘s return to the starting lineup in recent matches had seemingly cooled speculation about the England international’s potential departure from the Etihad.
However, journalist Ian McGarry claims that the 26-year-old is still angling for a move in January. Speaking on the Transfer Window Podcast, the reporter said a switch to a team based in London, such as Arsenal, would be the former Liverpool player’s preference:
“There are several interested parties, including Arsenal. We know that Sterling himself turned down the opportunity to join Tottenham Hotspur on a permanent basis last summer but the idea of moving back to London, the idea of having the guarantee, almost, of a starting place in another elite Premier League club is extremely attractive to him. It’s whether or not Manchester City of course would want to see him play for a rival with regards to Champions League placings, title, etc.”
As McGarry points out himself, it seems unlikely that City would sanction a move to another top-flight English club, even if Arsenal are not deemed as rivals for the Premier League at the moment.
There is still hope that Sterling will sign a new contract, although it is thought that the forward is keeping his cards close to his chest, being keen to wait and see whether he is deemed a regular starter by manager Pep Guardiola over a longer period of time.
