Manchester City fans reserved the biggest cheer of the night for Raheem Sterling’s goal in the 4-1 over Club Brugge in early November.
But it probably wasn’t a noise the man in question completely enjoyed.
City’s number seven visibly breathed a sigh of relief after tapping in Ilkay Gundogan’s low cross for his first club goal since late August.
The ovation it prompted was one of almost over-bearing encouragement. Fans were willing Raheem to score, meaning it sounded as much school sports day as it did Champions League night.
A contract extension, which the Daily Mail now reports City are confident Sterling will sign after months of uncertainty, seemed a long way away at that point.
However, the Brugge goal launched a run of eight goals in 11 outings for City - proving emphatically that class endures, even if Sterling’s dwindling club efforts spanning early spring to late autumn last year left many questioning the temporary nature of his form.
Heading into 2022, with 18 months remaining on his present contract, Sterling can once again be considered one of the leading forward players in Europe - his Euro 2020 form for England again sitting comfortably within his body of work rather than feeling like an outlier as it did earlier in the season.
City obviously want to tie such a player down to a new long-term deal. Sterling turned 27 last month - these are his prime years.
If he commits this period to the club he joined in 2015 from Liverpool, it would represent a personal triumph over tough period and also have wider significance.
Before City faced Real Madrid in a Champions League last-16 tie almost two years ago, Sterling conducted an interview with AS . The Madrid-based sports daily photographed him posing with both City and Madrid shirts.
In a piece with GQ in 2019, he expressed fondness for the idea of playing in Spain and again earlier this year, when his fortunes at City did not look so rosy, he said he would love to play abroad.
Increased and more productive game time have obviously made Raheem staying in Manchester more likely but, if moving to a European giant had always been part of his plan, why not now?
He’s just seen team-mate Ferran Torres join a brave new era under Xavi at Barcelona, with whom he was also linked, while Real Madrid are mulling moves for Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe or both this summer, depending on who you believe.
The superclubs are on manoeuvres and Sterling, as a star of established pedigree and with an appeal that transcends the game would hold obvious appeal.
If City is where his immediate and medium-term future is, the decision will have been made on sporting grounds.
For all their historical sparkle, Barcelona and Real Madrid do not have the same claim to being called the best team in Europe as the Premier League’s leading side. LaLiga’s star has faded and City represent the cream of Europe’s toughest domestic competition.
Yes, the LaLiga heavyweights boast a vast collection of continental trophies and City are yet to scale that mountain, but ambitious footballers in the midst of a short career tend to be colder and less romantic in their calculations than outside observers.
This brings us to Haaland who, according to the Daily Star , has decided Madrid will be his post-Dortmund destination.
The Norway striker is such a phenomenal talent that he could be a transformative presence at the Santiago Bernabeu, but City are a better team with better immediate prospects.
Perhaps Ferran’s move to Barca has kicked off another Clasico arms race, but his transfer was also motivated by the pragmatism of not being first choice within a stronger City squad.
If Sterling decides to spend all of the best years of his career in Manchester, it will be because he has concluded he is already at the pinnacle.
Having previously hinted that was Madrid or Barcelona, they now look to have been bumped down his career plan to the final payday slot.
City have positioned themselves at the top of the food chain. The big beast Haaland should bear that in mind when plotting his next move.
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