Man City face Raheem Sterling dilemma amid continued transfer speculation

Manchester City and Raheem Sterling are heading towards a crossroads and a decision will need to be made soon.

Sterling's time at City has been hugely beneficial to both parties. His £50million move from Liverpool back in 2015 has been a big success.

He has scored 115 goals and contributed 88 assists in 302 games over the past six years for the club, helping to win three Premier League titles, five Carabao Cups and three FA Cups.

Back in 2015 his transfer fee was held up by some as an example of a financial powerhouse wilfully overpaying for a player, but that clearly has not proven to be the case at all.

Raheem Sterling has struggled for game time at Man City this season ( Image:

Jeroen Meuwsen/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

Alongside the likes of Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Kyle Walker and Vincent Kompany, Sterling has been one of City's most consistent performers in recent years.

Yet there is a sense we could be seeing the final stages of Sterling's Manchester City career play out at the moment.

Sterling has not been completely settled at City for some time. His brilliant efforts for England at Euro 2020 - three crucial goals and one assist - papered over the cracks at club level.

Sterling was frequently benched during the second half of the 2020/21 season by Pep Guardiola and that trend has only got worse this campaign.

Despite Aguero's departure and City's failure to sign a replacement, Sterling has found himself on the outside looking in recently.

Harry Kane may not have arrived from Tottenham, but Jack Grealish's £100m move from Aston Villa has further relegated Sterling down the pecking order.

Guardiola now has Grealish and Phil Foden to choose between on the left flank and Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez on the right, while Ferran Torres has done enough to make himself a contender for the vacant central attacker position.

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Raheem Sterling has slipped down the pecking order at Man City ( Image:

PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

For all his undoubted qualities, Sterling is not a No 9 in a 4-3-3 system. Like Foden, Grealish, Torres, Jesus and De Bruyne, he has been fielded there, but it does not suit him.

Sterling is at his best on the shoulder of defenders, using his pace to run into space and getting on the end of back-post crosses. He is not so adept at coming to feet, holding the ball up and occupying centre-backs.

Recent developments at Man City seem to have left a player of Sterling's characteristics less useful. Guardiola admitted as much after the 2-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain, which had seen Sterling toil in the central striker role.

"He can play there (on the right) but at the start of the season Gabby played really good there," he said.

"[As a striker], especially with guys with one-on-ones like Jack and Riyad who can attract more opponents and PSG players to create the spaces in the other areas and we need a guy who runs in behind right to left, Raheem is the best we have in the squad.

"It depends sometimes on the opponents and the way we want to attack and specific players we need, we sometimes need specific qualities for that."

Put more simply, Sterling offers a skillset which is becoming ever more niche to Guardiola, whose system is becoming more and more suited to other players.

Raheem Sterling is not suited to playing as a central striker ( Image:

John Berry/Getty Images)

"I'm pretty sure he will get it," the City boss said last month. "If he's able to do it, he will do it. And I'm so optimistic that he will do a great season."

But so far Sterling hasn't got it. He has started just twice in the Premier League this season; City lost the first to Tottenham and drew the other 0-0 with Southampton.

The 26-year-old's only goal in 10 appearances so far this season came against Norwich City back in August.

Sterling is currently under contract with City until June 2023 and his situation has attracted interest from rival clubs.

The Mirror understands that Barcelona want to sign him on loan in January and, having shed the wages of Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann, they could afford him.

There is still plenty of time between now and January for Sterling to find form, but the possibility of a half-season loan and a change of scenery is one which could be beneficial for all parties involved.

Sterling appears to have stagnated at City and, if the situation continues until January, a temporary switch could be just the thing to reinvigorate him.