Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes his former club, or even Liverpool, should consider signing Raheem Sterling, who is now in “the wilderness” at Manchester City.
Sterling, 26, has been an integral member of Pep Guardiola’s attack since the ex-Barcelona manager took charge at the Etihad, scoring a total of 103 goals in just five seasons under the Catalonian.
His form for City has also translated to England, where the wily winger took on the responsibility of Gareth Southgate’s reliable goal-getter during the Euros, which culminated in the Three Lions reaching the final, and Sterling earning a place in the ‘Team of the Tournament’.
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However, despite a stellar summer at international level, Sterling has returned to City and fallen down the pecking order during his embryonic stages of the Premier League season, starting just two of the club’s opening five matches, and only getting a 20-minute cameo in the Champions League win over RB Leipzig.
As such, Sterling has struck just once this term, which came in the 5-0 demolition of Norwich City on matchday two, in which he came on for the final 30 minutes and struck the fourth, but he has been unable to add to that tally since, recently firing a blank during a 90-minute spell in the 0-0 with Southampton.
It may still be early in the 2021/22 campaign, but Ferdinand has expressed his concern that, in a squad that is now lacking a natural goalscorer following the departure of Sergio Aguero and failed attempt to sign Harry Kane, Sterling is not getting more considerable game time.
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Ferdinand said on his FIVE Youtube channel: “If I’m Liverpool, I’d buy Sterling tomorrow … If I’m him, I wouldn’t go to Barcelona or Real Madrid right now, that’s why I said Liverpool … Man United will take him!
“Where is Raheem Sterling? He’s lost confidence because he’s been taken out of the team. He was the go-to guy when they needed a goal, for so many years, and now all of a sudden he’s in the wilderness.
“I’m baffled by it, I just don’t understand. With Pep, he gets things right more often than not, but with this one there must be clubs sitting there going ‘let’s see how this pans out because I would take Sterling all day!”