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Reports: Raheem Sterling set to sign new Manchester City deal after contract U-turn
Raheem Sterling is set to sign a new Manchester City contract after his relationship with Pep Guardiola has improved in recent weeks – that's according to Matt Hughes in the Daily Mail. The Premier League champions reportedly believe the 27-year-old will sign a new deal at the club before the summer.
The winger's current contract is set to expire in 18 months, with the Englishman said to be 'toying' with the idea of a move to Spain – but according to Hughes, Sterling has now had a change of heart and will put pen to paper with the Premier League's runaway leaders.
Hughes says the decision 'follows an improvement in Sterling's relationship with City manager Pep Guardiola' after the boss had left the winger out for much of the second half of last season. It is reported an enquiry into why the winger wasn't playing led to a heated discussion in which Sterling 'claimed other players were being given preferential treatment'.
In an October interview with Financial Times, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News, Sterling revealed his openness to leaving City for playing time if the opportunity did arise, saying:
"If there was the opportunity to go somewhere else for more game time I would be open to it at this moment in time... As an English player all I know is the Premier League and I’ve always thought you know maybe one day I’d love to play abroad to see how I would come up against that challenge."
However, the player has enjoyed a fruitful return to form since – scoring or assisting in every Premier League game in December, including his 100th Premier League goal in a 1-0 win against Wolves.
Consequently, the senior England international has been nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award for December along with Joao Cancelo, James Maddison, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Mason Mount, and Son Heung-min.
Hughes writes that 'Sterling will still wait to see how much game-time he is given over the next few weeks' before signing a new deal, before adding that the forward has now accepted he will not leave the club in January.
City want the situation resolved before the end of the season due to club policy of not letting players get into the last year of their deal and negotiations will begin next month, according to the report.
Written by: @j2mcfc
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