Man City sure Sterling will sign contract extension

Manchester City are increasingly confident that Raheem Sterling will sign a new contract before the summer following a recent improvement in his relationship with Pep Guardiola.

The England forward has had strained dealings with the City manager since the end of last season when he was repeatedly left out of the starting line-up, but tension between the pair has eased significantly in recent months.

Sterling remains determined to wait to see how much game-time he is given over the next few weeks before recommitting himself to a club he joined from Liverpool seven years ago, but in a significant development has accepted for the first time that he will not be leaving City this month.

The 27-year-old created ructions at City in October by saying that he was open to a transfer to get more playing time and has often spoken of his interest in playing abroad, but with Barcelona and Real Madrid both having financial problems appears to be coming to the conclusion that such a move is unlikely to materialise.

City are prepared to give Sterling more time before formally re-opening contract negotiations, but want the issue resolved before the end of the season as they have a policy of not letting any of their major assets enter the last 12 months of their contracts.

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The club’s growing confidence that Sterling will sign a new deal influenced their decision to sell Fernan Torres to Barcelona last month and talks with his representatives are likely to begin next month.

Sterling’s most recent contract was a five-year deal worth £300,000-a-week signed in November 2018.