Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola cast further doubt over the future of Raheem Sterling ahead of Saturday’s game against Burnley, as the Spaniard stated that he ‘could not assure’ players of more game time.
The ex-Barcelona manager was responding to questions about the England international, who has recently revealed that he would consider a move elsewhere in search of more game time, if it arose.
Following the comments, the 26-year-old was then selected in the starting XI that beat Burnley at the Etihad, but failed to impress during a rare start and may now have to wait for another opportunity.
Now, it is being reported that City have named their price for Sterling, who has just 18 months remaining on his current deal with the reigning Premier League champions.
According to Spanish outlet Marca, the English side will demand 80 million euros for Sterling, who is apparently a target for Spanish giants Barcelona.
The report suggests that the figure, which amounts to around £67 million, reiterates that, while City do not wish to sell Sterling, he would be allowed to leave for the right price.
Saturday’s game against Burnley was just Sterling’s third league start of the season
Sterling, who shone at the Euros for England this summer, has scored 115 goals and provided 88 assists in 303 games for City, since a £57 million move from Liverpool in 2015.
The player has, however, slipped down the pecking order at the Etihad, with the likes of Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and new signing Jack Grealish all seemingly ahead of him.
Arguably the biggest obstacle in the way of any possible deal could be Barcelona’s dire financial situation, with the Catalan side having to offload a number of senior players, including Lionel Messi, in a bid to balance the books at the Nou Camp.
Messi was followed out of the Nou Camp by Antoine Griezmann and Miralem Pjanic over the summer, and the club are unlikely to be able to afford to fund a deal for Sterling any time soon.
