Raheem Sterling: In a changing of the guard up front at the Etihad, the Premier League champions are ready to let the England international leave this summer.
Despite the fact that Gabriel Jesus has also joined Arsenal, City has already improved its front line.
Julian Alvarez had joined from River Plate while Erling Haaland signed in one of the biggest Premier League deals in recent memory. Both are anticipated to join the team right away, although Guardiola is cognizant that he cannot hang onto all of his attacking prowess.
And because of that, Sterling’s transfer to Chelsea, who are just days away from announcing it, has been negotiated. If Chelsea can get Sterling to perform as he did under Guardiola, they will have a quality player in their hands. Some of the top forwards in the world have worked with the Catalan coach.
The 51-year-old has had the opportunity to work with players like Sergio Aguero, David Villa, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben, Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry, and Thomas Muller. But Sterling has made the most progress among them all through his tenure.
Only Lionel Messi has more goal contributions under Pep Guardiola than Raheem Sterling! 🤯🔥 pic.twitter.com/k5BMEVEOoO
— SPORF (@Sporf) July 7, 2022
The former Liverpool player has scored and assisted a combined 186 goals in his six seasons at City. Only Messi has an astounding 291, which is more.
It comes as no surprise given how long Sterling has worked with Guardiola and the observable influence he has had since joining the team. The City manager assisted the forward in scoring ten goals or more for the first time in the Premier League just one year into his job at the Etihad.
Sterling scored 18 goals and provided 11 assists in the league in 2017–18; the following year, he scored 17 goals and provided 10 assists. For the first time in his career, the England international scored 20 Premier League goals in a single season in 2019–20.
It will be difficult for City to replace such productivity in terms of goals and assists, which could work in Chelsea’s favor as they are eager to resume title competition. As he enters the final year of his contract, the Blues appear close to signing the player for a sum of roughly £45 million.
Ranking the top five players under Pep Guardiola in terms of goals and assists:
Lionel Messi – 291 (211G, 80A)
It should come as no surprise that Lionel Messi is ranked first, having experienced the pinnacle seasons of his record-breaking career while playing for Barcelona under Guardiola’s leadership.
Under Guardiola, Messi scored an incredible 211 goals in in 219 games, adding 80 assists along the way.
The pair were at their best during the 2011–12 season, when Messi, then 24 years old, surpassed Pele as Barcelona’s all-time goals scored in a season.
With 73 goals overall, he broke Gerd Müller’s European record of 67 goals in all competitions set for Bayern Munich in 1972–73. He concluded the league season with a La Liga record of 50 goals.
Raheem Sterling – 186 (120G, 66A)
Following a decreased role during the previous season, Raheem Sterling appears destined to depart Manchester City this summer. Chelsea is reportedly interested in acquiring the England international.
Sterling is eager to gain a more prominent place should he leave the Etihad because he was notably left out of the starting lineup for several important games last season.
If Sterling leaves this summer, Guardiola would lose a consistent supply of goals; over the previous six seasons, the 27-year-old has contributed 186 goals and assists.
After winning the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 2018–19, he scored 32 goals in all competitions the following season, which was his best goalscoring season to date.
Because of his track record, Raheem Sterling has become a priority target for Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea.
Kevin De Bruyne – 175 (70G, 105A)
Since Guardiola’s hiring in 2016, Kevin De Bruyne has had a direct hand in 175 goals for Manchester City, making him one of the game’s top creative players.
De Bruyne has won City’s Player of the Season honor a record four times, setting new benchmarks for goal-scoring. He is a two-time PFA Player of the Year winner.
While setting a new career high of 15 league goals last season, De Bruyne had an outstanding 2019–20 season, scoring 13 goals and contributing a league-high 20 assists.
With 86 assists across 210 games, he has moved up to joint-eighth all-time in the Premier League, and his average of 0.41 assists per game is by far the greatest of any player inside the top 10.
Serigo Aguero – 151 (124G, 27A)
With 124 goals scored while playing for Guardiola’s Manchester City, the club’s all-time greatest goal scorer continued to be the club’s top goal threat.
Before leaving for Barcelona in 2021, Aguero scored 20+ league goals in three straight Premier League seasons while playing for Guardiola. During that time, the team won three league championships.
Gabriel Jesus – 136 (95G, 41A)
With 136 goals and assists since joining Manchester City in 2017, Jesus is the fifth-most productive player in Pep Guardiola’s managerial tenure.
The Brazilian arrived hoping to take Sergo Aguero’s place as City’s goal-scoring talisman, but he hasn’t developed as anticipated and has found it difficult to secure consistent playing time at the Etihad.
However, the 25-year-old has made 151 starts for the club and scored an astounding 95 goals while adding 41 assists. He is now an Arsenal player.
