Raheem Sterling became the most expensive English footballer in history when he signed for Manchester City from Liverpool on a five-year contract, the England forward’s new club announced on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old completed his move to the 2014 Premier League champions after passing a medical in a deal worth an intitial £44million (Dhs 251 million) but could rise to £49 million (Dhs 280 million).
The forecast move away from Anfield appeared imminent at the weekend as Sterling stayed behind when Liverpool flew out for for their tour of Thailand, Australia and Malaysia.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini rated his marquee signing as “one of the best attacking players in world football”.
The moment @sterling31 put pen to paper at #mcfc. #welcomeraheem https://t.co/PUbqmpwl5B
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) July 14, 2015
The Chilean said: “He is a young player with outstanding ability, and I am sure the Manchester City fans will be very excited about seeing him in action for the team.”
A statement released on City’s official website, www.mcfc.co.uk, confirmed: “Manchester City are delighted to announce Raheem Sterling has joined the club on a five-year deal.
“The 20-year-old England international’s transfer is a club record fee for an English player and he also becomes City’s record signing.”
The Jamaican-born Londoner assumes the most expensive English footballer mantle from Andy Carroll, who moved from Newcastle to Liverpool for ?35 million but never lived up to the tag.
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Sterling, who will wear the number seven shirt, is now second only to Welshman Gareth Bale on the all-time most expensive British player chart.
The headline capture brings the curtain down on a long-running transfer saga involving the England international who was under contract at Liverpool until 2017.
But he had rejected a £100,000-a-week deal to extend his stay at Liverpool, with the Reds finally accepting City’s third bid of the close season.
#LFC can confirm Raheem Sterling has completed a transfer to Manchester City http://t.co/gzc6SJew3J pic.twitter.com/PBZAuRCc2k
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 14, 2015
Sterling’s arrival follows the lifting of financial fair-play sanctions by UEFA against City, freeing the club’s Abu Dhabi stakeholders of their financial shackles.
Aside from Sterling City’s other main targets this summer are Belgian star Kevin de Bruyne, at German Bundesliga runners-up VfL Wolfsburg and Juventus’ French midfielder Paul Pogba.
Sterling will now fly out to meet up with his new team-mates on tour in Australia within the next 24 hours.
News of his departure from Anfield was also confirmed by Liverpool in an announcement on their official website, www.liverpoolfc.com.
