Pep Guardiola selling Raheem Sterling to Chelsea might come back to haunt Manchester City next season.
That is the verdict from Premier League footballer turned Sky Sports pundit, Paul Merson, as the England forward edges closer to a blockbuster move. City and Chelsea have settled on an initial £45million fee for Sterling and that might eventually rise to £55m with add-ons.
After winning their fourth title in five seasons, this has been a summer for change at City as Guardiola reshapes his star-studded team with incomings and outgoings. Norway sensation Erling Haaland and England star Kalvin Phillips are among those to sign up for their latest Premier League defence.
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Gabriel Jesus has already moved in the opposite direction after signing for Arsenal - and scoring 90 seconds into a debut for the Gunners - while Sterling and Nathan Ake are expected to move in tandem to Chelsea. But what have City lost by allowing Sterling to leave?
Speaking to Sky Sports, pundit Merson said: "I would worry about Man City selling Sterling as you're selling lots of goals. People always go to me; 'He's always at the far post tapping them in'.
"He's not pushing anybody out the way to tap those goals in. There's an art to what he does.
"He will be a massive miss to Man City next season if he leaves. If Chelsea went and got him, then that would be a major signing as they're getting a top-quality international footballer, who is at one of the top teams in the world."
Sterling arrived at the Etihad Stadium from Liverpool seven years ago. As he prepares to wave goodbye, his record for City reads an impressive 131 goals and 94 assists in 337 games across all competitions.
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