Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling is seeking assurances from the club before engaging in contract talks, amid continued speculation regarding his future.
The 26-year-old has seemingly slipped down the pecking order at the Etihad after previously being a mainstay of Pep Guardiola’s side, with the Englishman losing his place in the starting XI in the second-half of last season, following the emergence of compatriot Phil Foden.
With former Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish joining the club in a £100m deal over the summer, the competition for a starting berth has become even more intense in the early weeks of the season, with Sterling starting just two league games so far this term.
There had been talk of a frosty relationship between the forward and his manager, as well as suggestion that the former Liverpool man could depart over the summer, with his future at the club seemingly unclear at present.
As per the Sun,the Euro 2020 star is said to be seeking assurances that he remains a key player for the club, before agreeing a new deal to stay in Manchester.
The player has just under two years remaining on his existing deal, with the report suggesting that talks are on hold regarding an extension due to his current lack of regular game time.
There has been speculation that Barcelona are interested in bringing the versatile forward to the Nou Camp, although City have no plans to let him leave in January and still remain keen to tie him down to a new deal.
The England international has developed into a top-class operator since moving to the club in a £50m deal in 2015, going on to score 115 goals in 302 games for the club, as well as helping them to three Premier League titles in that time.
While much of that trophy-laded period has seen Sterling line up on the right or left flank, the report adds that his future could well lie through the middle, with City having failed to secure a new centre-forward addition over the summer.
