Manchester City are to open preliminary talks with Raheem Sterling regarding a new contract, with the club set to make the forward one of their highest-paid players.
The discussions are expected to start in February. Sterling’s existing contract expires in summer 2020, the England international having agreed a five-year deal when joining from Liverpool in summer 2015.
Sterling earns around €192,000 (£170,000) a week basic and can expect a rise of at least €57,000 (£50,000) a week, along with lucrative incentives that would push his salary beyond the €283,000 (£250,000) a week.
This would put him in the top band of earners at City. Kevin De Bruyne is in the final stages of negotiating a new contract which when agreed will put him ahead of Sterling. Alexis Sánchez, should he join from Arsenal in January as City hope, is likely to be the only player in Pep Guardiola's squad on a higher salary.
Sterling is enjoying the standout season of his career. His 18 goals for City are his best-ever tally, making him the second-highest scorer behind Sergio Agüero. This has repaid Guardiola’s faith in Sterling after the manager refused to allow him to be a makeweight in a deal that would have taken Sánchez to City on the final day of the summer transfer window.
De Bruyne said of his prospective new deal: “We are still in negotiations. I am waiting for an offer from the club but my agent has been on holiday for three weeks. There is nothing really new for the moment. Probably [it will be done soon]. I’m not in a hurry. I still have three and a half years on the contract.”
Asked if he could expect a big pay rise, the midfielder said: “I cannot complain for the moment. Obviously we will see what happens. Negotiations are going good but they are going quietly. That is the way I think it should be.” – Guardian service
