Raheem Sterling is enjoying the best season of his career with Manchester City.
Still only in February, the England international has found the net 20 times for Pep Guardiola’s side – his greatest ever return for a season and already double his goals tally for the previous campaign.
With that in mind, it seems strange to learn that there are some suggesting he might leave The Etihad in the months ahead.
A report in The Mirror claims that Sterling’s future at City has been ‘plunged into doubt’, with the club yet to begin formal contract talks with him. At the end of the season, the 23-year-old will enter the final two years of his current deal at the club.
Having agreed new deals with teammates David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne City are, according to the report, ‘making Sterling sweat’ over offering him an improved contract.
Not only this, they even go as far as suggesting that Real Madrid might be waiting in the wings to take Sterling to the Spanish capital. Zinedine Zidane is known to be an admirer of the player and with the European champions said to be plotting a squad overhaul in the summer, the former Liverpool star could be a target.
Sterling’s current contract is said to be worth around £180,000-a-week. It’s claimed that he expects a large increase on this when (if?) City do begin negotiations. Judging by his form this season, it’s difficult to imagine a scenario where they wouldn’t.