Manchester City will today seal the £49 million (Dh279m) capture of Raheem Sterling and then immediately launch a renewed bid for Wolfsburg’s Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.
Sterling is set for a medical at the Etihad Stadium today ahead of official confirmation of his move from Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium. And with a deal for the 20-yearold England international close to completion, City are now determined to press ahead with efforts to snap up De Bruyne, who could command a similar fee.
The Premier League giants have long been linked with a move for a player who scored 15 goals and weighed in with 25 assists in 45 games in all competitions last season.
Manuel Pellegrini’s men are reported to have already had one bid knocked back with Wolfsburg in no hurry to sell the £50m-rated 24-year-old. Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers yesterday insisted he had no hard feelings towards Sterling after confirming he was on the brink of a move away from Anfield.
Speaking at a press conference in Bangkok where the Reds are on a pre-season tour, Rodgers said: “I spoke to Raheem at length again before I left yesterday, so there is no issue and no problem.
Contrary to probably the last week or so in terms of what was written, Raheem and I have always remained very strong in our relationship and have been right up until we left. “Two clubs have agreed a deal and subject to a medical he will move on. But at this moment in time the interest is with the players that are here.”
– #360transfers: Man City and Liverpool strike Sterling deal
– Who is Matteo Darmian: The Torino full-back set to join MUFC?
– Morgan Schneiderlin: Midfielder undergoes United medical
Liverpool rejected two initial City bids but once it became obvious they would increase their offer a third time, Sterling was dropped from the tour party.
And the expected confirmation of Sterling’s arrival at the Etihad Stadium this week will bring an end to a six-month saga which has been acrimonious in spite of Rodgers’ insistence that his personal relationship with the player remains intact.
Sterling angered club officials in February by rejecting what Rodgers described as “an incredible deal” – then engaged in an unsanctioned interview with the BBC two months later in which he confirmed he had turned the offer down.
The impasse deepened when Sterling’s agent, Aidy Ward, claimed the player would not sign even for “£900,000 a week”.
