Chelsea are refusing to pay more than £40m for Liverpool starlet Raheem Sterling, according to Sky Sports.
The wantaway Liverpool winger looks set to move on in the summer, with a number of top clubs vying for his signature.
Chelsea’s refusal to meet Liverpool’s £50m valuation means Manchester City have seemingly moved into pole position in the long running transfer saga.
Despite reports about Sterling’s intimidating price-tag; Patrick Vieira, who is currently head of Elite Development at City, suggests that his club are still interested in signing the England international.
Vieira said to ESPN: “I think if you go down and ask 10 people what they think about him (Sterling), I think nine would give you a positive answer. I would be part of the nine people because he’s shown how good he is.
“If he is in the market, not just City would be interested in him.”
The ex-Arsenal midfielder isn’t the only Premier League legend who has openly declared his admiration for Sterling in recent weeks. John Terry also expressed his appreciation, stating that he understands the youngster’s motivation to join another club.
Speaking to The Mirror, Terry said: “I didn’t realise how good he was until I played against him three or four times. He’s an exceptional player.
At times he’s been unfairly treated this year with the press he’s got. He’s a young player and wants to play at the very top for the very best.
“He’s got ambitions to play in the Champions League and continue playing for his country.”
Chelsea should be applauded for sensible spending in the transfer market, however, if they are keen to stay at the top of the footballing pyramid, they may regret baulking at the proposed fee.
If Sterling continues to develop, he could end up being a consistently decisive player for any top side.
Judging by how easily he managed to cut through Chelsea’s defence in the Capital One Cup last season, it might be in the club’s best interests to stoke up the extra funds and seal the deal.
