Real Madrid are reportedly set to make a mega-money move in the summer to sign Raheem Sterling after Manchester City were banned from the Champions League for two seasons.
Pep Guardiola’s side were on Friday banned for two years from competing in any European competition after being found guilty of breaching UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations. City has revealed their intention to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
One of the players who is rumored to be set to leave the Etihad stadium after the UEFA ban is Sterling. The forward has made no secret of his desire to play in La Liga. And according to The Sun, Spanish giants Real Madrid are eager to bring him to to the Santiago Bernabéu this summer to play in Europe.
The report added that Los Blancos were already plotting a £180million swoop for the England international before City’s suspension. Madrid will now try to approach City knowing that the Premier League champions will miss out on a £170m Champions League money.
Sterling still has three years left on his contract at the Etihad Stadium and talks have started about a new deal which will see his weekly wage increase from £300,000-a-week to £450,000-a-week. It is said that City might struggle without Champions League income next season and would be unable to match those wage commitments, leaving some of their stats to leave the club.
City manager Guardiola is reportedly set to consider his future at the club if the Premier League champions’ appeal against a two-year ban from Europe fails. The Spaniard’s current contract expires in 2021 and could leave the club with Juventus thought to be increasingly confident of luring him to Italy in the summer.
He has been successful during his time at the Etihad Stadium, winning two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups. The only trophy eluding him as a City manager is the Champions League, having previously enjoyed success in the competition during his time in Barcelona.
