As has been the case all summer, Manchester City are open to bids for Raheem Sterling. That does not necessarily mean that they want to sell him, just that if the right offer were to come in for a player whose contract expires in 2023, they would be willing to listen.
With a deal to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus seeming increasingly likely, Fabrizio Romano reported last night that City are "working on outgoings" in order to proceed with a bid for the Portuguese star.
That has put Sterling's future in the spotlight once more.
The MEN understands that City are unlikely let Sterling leave this summer, even if they decide that they need to make space on the wage bill for Ronaldo. However, the arrival of the the five-time Ballon d'Or winner would raise questions over where Sterling would fit in Pep Guardiola's side this season.
City are pursuing Ronaldo as a striker, a number nine alternative to Harry Kane. In that sense, Sterling's place would be unaffected, as he operates primarily on the left-wing, or as a left forward.
In fact, the pair could strike up quite the partnership. As we saw with England at Euro 2020, Sterling formed a lethal connection with Kane. It was a symbiotic relationship that saw Sterling supplying Kane with cute through balls, but also Kane dropping deep to create space for Sterling to run into and score himself.
Last season at Juventus, Ronaldo showed that he could play a similar role to Kane in that respect. As reported by The Athletic, the number of touches Ronaldo has inside the penalty area per 90 minutes has decreased in recent years. Instead, he is now taking more touches outside of the box, getting on the ball in midfield more and creating space for others.
It's a quality of Ronaldo's game that is often overlooked, but one that would benefit Sterling hugely. If the duo are able to develop a rapport, then Sterling's production could return to the stratospheric levels of 2017/18 and 2018/19, a period at saw him record 55 direct goal contributions in 67 Premier League appearances.
If Guardiola opts on occasion to use the false nine system, then that would also work with Ronaldo in the centre and Sterling on the left, or visa versa.
However, Sterling will face tough competition to keep his preferred position on the left wing. Phil Foden is coming off a breakthrough campaign, and once fully fit will could arguably be Guardiola's preferred wide option.
According to FBref, the youngster outperformed Sterling in several key areas last season, including goals per 90 minutes (0.5 vs 0.35), assists per 90 (0.28 vs 0.25), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.73 vs 3.55) and goal creating actions per 90 (0.78 vs 0.53).
Foden's approach is often more direct than Sterling's, something that might suit Ronaldo's abilities up front.
Jack Grealish is another factor. Guardiola is reportedly keen to deploy the £100m man as a number eight alongside Kevin De Bruyne, but as we saw against Norwich last weekend, he'll still be used on the left wing as and when.
Grealish's ability to win free-kicks could see him preferred to Sterling should Ronaldo arrive. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United man is a formidable aerial presence, something City have painfully lacked in recent years.
Starting a player that wins lots of free-kicks alongside a player who scores lots of headers makes perfect sense, so this factor could see Sterling's game time reduced.
There are two sides to the argument, both with equal merit. Only Guardiola knows how he would use Sterling if Ronaldo arrives, but one thing is for certain: There's no doubt that Sterling would thrive given the chance to play with one of the greatest players in the world.
How do you think Sterling fits in at City with the arrival of Ronaldo? Follow our new City Fan Brands Writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
