MANCHESTER CITY has so far lodged two bids, the last one amounting with add-ons to £40million. Both have been rejected.
As Sunday Express Sport has revealed Liverpool are prepared to sell the 20-year-old but not for a penny under £50 million.
Sources close to the Merseyside club have indicated that City won’t drop their interest for the sake of another £10 million in a summer in which they are committed to bringing in top English talent.
The City hierarchy also know that other clubs including Rafa Benitez’s Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea are lurking.
They don’t want to miss out on Sterling and are expected in the next few days to submit a bid which will satisfy Liverpool.
City is also ready to test Arsenal’s resolve over Sterling’s England international team-mate Jack Wilshere.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger insists the two goal hero of England’s 3-2 European Championship qualifying win in Slovenia last Sunday isn’t for sale. A bid in the region of £40 million would test that resolve.
One player definitely on his way to the Etihad is Fulham’s teenage forward Patrick Roberts in a deal worth up to £10 million – a transfer first revealed by Sunday Express Sport on April 26th.
City has seen off late interest from Arsenal to clinch a move for the 18-year-old who is likely to be loaned out next season.
Liverpool has already earmarked the windfall from Sterling’s imminent departure with a signing spree of their own.
They are ready to meet Southampton’s £15 million valuation for England full-back Nathaniel Clyne and are closing in on Hoffenheim’s Brazilian international midfielder Roberto Firmino who would cost another £15 million.
Liverpool has also just completed the £3.5 million capture of Charlton’s highly rated 18-year-old defender Joe Gomez.
