Pep Guardiola confesses about Raheem Sterling ahead of possible move to Chelsea
Pep Guardiola has confessed that he ‘doesn’t know’ if Raheem Sterling will stay at Manchester City this summer, despite speculations connecting the England international with a move to Chelsea.
Manchester City won their fourth Premier League title in five seasons, and Raheem Sterling had another outstanding season. In 47 games in all competitions, the England winger scored 17 goals and added nine assists to help Pep Guardiola’s team finish a point ahead of runners-up Liverpool.
Sterling, on the other hand, has become something of a bystander at City in recent seasons, with Guardiola frequently opting not to start him in crucial matches. He was left on the bench for both legs of Manchester City’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, indicating that he is more of a squad player at the Etihad.
Sterling’s contract with the club expires next summer, and he has been linked with a move to Chelsea. Guardiola said after Manchester City’s 4-0 win over Norwich City last season that he wasn’t sure if the England international would stay in the city, and a return to London might be on the cards this summer, with London rivals Arsenal also interested.
Speaking after the match in which Sterling scored a hat-trick, Guardiola said: “I have known Raheem (Sterling) for six seasons. I know him perfectly well.
“During that period, there are highs and lows. It’s part of life. Teams are not honeymoons. There are problems, and we have to solve them.
“In the future? I don’t know what will happen. The club decides. When the club extends contracts, I give my opinion, but the club takes the decision, always.”
However, Todd Boehly is said to have granted Thomas Tuchel permission to have the ultimate word on future transfer transactions, and with Chelsea’s offense struggling at times last season, Sterling might be the guy to offer the German coach exactly what he needs.
Sterling had already intimated that if the possibility to relocate for longer minutes presented itself, he might be persuaded, giving Tuchel fuel for thought.
Sterling joined City from Liverpool in the summer of 2015 and has won four Premier League titles, four League Cups, and a single FA Cup during his seven seasons in Manchester. He has 339 appearances for the club, scoring 131 goals and assisting on 95 occasions.