Jeremy Cross at The Daily Star believes City are becoming increasingly confident on signing Raheem Sterling by the end of next week, with The Blues hopeful the Englishman can link up with his new team during their tour of Australia, although he’ll likely miss the start of it.
Sterling is thought to be one of City’s top targets for the summer, and The Blues have already had two big bids rejected as they aim to rebuild their squad following a poor season. Paul Pogba and Kevin De Bruyne are thought to be the other big names on City’s shopping list, although at present Sterling seems much more likely than either of them.
Jeremy Cross believes Khaldoon Al Mubarak is now willing to meet Liverpool’s asking price for the 20-year-old star, after weeks of speculation. It’s been some time since City’s last bid of £40 million (including bonuses) and now it appears The Blues will offer a £45 million upfront fee, plus an extra £5 million in bonuses depending on his performance at Eastlands. The hierarchy at City are thought to believe this will be accepted by Liverpool, as it equals their £50m asking price for the Jamaican-born attacker.
Once a fee has been agreed, personal terms are considered a formality by City, with Sterling keen to depart Anfield. He’s likely to become the first of the ‘high-quality individuals’ promised by Khaldoon Al Mubarak, but he’s unlikely to be the last – or, indeed, the most expensive.
