Raheem Sterling could be tempted to end his time with Manchester City in favour of a switch to Barcelona in order to seek his "dream" move.
The England ace, 26, has been linked with a transfer to the Nou Camp as his position at City looks more uncertain with each week.
Sterling has so far started just four of City's 10 games in all competitions this season and appears to have slipped down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola.
He spent plenty of time sat on the bench at the back end of last season too, and has been used a lot more sparingly by his manager in recent times.
Now Barcelona could be ready to capitalise on Sterling's situation by offering him a route out in January.
The Spanish club have added the City star to their list of potential targets as they look to bolster their attacking options over the back half of the season, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Despite Barca's well-documented issues both on and off the field, a move could be an attractive prospect for Sterling, who has already voiced his feelings on taking his career outside of the UK.
“Ever since I was a kid, 100 per cent it's always been a dream of mine to play abroad somewhere,” he told GQ in 2019.
“It would be nice one day to finish training and go home and sit in your garden and eat some dinner.
“I would need to see where it's minimum 17C or 18C constantly."
Spanish publication Sport previously reported that Sterling had been open to a move to the Nou Camp in the summer of 2020 when Barca's director of football Mateu Alemany flew to Manchester to discuss a potential deal.
Two years on and Barcelona's finances could prove an obstacle in any proposed transfer, given City would not let the forward go without receiving a considerable fee in return, while he is currently reported to be on around £200,000 per week in wages at the Etihad.
One possible solution could be an initial loan agreement which could even come into play as early as January, though again, it is unlikely Guardiola will want to lose a player of Sterling's quality mid-season without receiving a fee to reinvest in his squad, or a player of similar ability.
Should Man City consider cashing in on Sterling? Have your say below.
Sterling was previously linked with a switch to Tottenham as part of City's failed negotiations to sign Harry Kane.
He has been a key player for the club since signing six years ago and speaking back in 2019 he admitted he had no real plans to leave, though did leave the exit door ajar.
"Looking at it now, it's like, Manchester, I love it. I love it here,” said Sterling.
“This is one of the best clubs in the world and I'm here for the long haul.
“But you just don't know what happens in the future. I'm still young and I'm loving every minute."
