“United Will Take Him” – Rio Ferdinand Believes United Would Sign Man City Star

Rio Ferdinand is baffled by Raheem Sterling’s situation at Man City.

Sterling was one of England’s best players in the Euros, but has found his game time limited at the club level, both before and after the summer tournament.

Pep Guardiola has only started the Englishman in two of City’s opening five league games this campaign, preferring the presence of new £100m signing Jack Grealish in the lineup instead.

With just two years left on his City contract to run, Sterling has been recently linked with a move to Spain with Guardiola’s former club Barcelona.

Ferdinand, however, wants the winger to continue his career in the Premier League, insisting Manchester United would be open to sign him from their neighbours.

He said: “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!”

The former defender turned pundit also believes that Sterling has lost his confidence because of inconsistent squad selection from Guardiola, leaving the winger ‘in the wilderness’.

Guardiola is blessed with an embarrassment of riches at the Etihad when it comes to creative options, leading to no guarantee of regular minutes for any star player. However, the situation is far from any different at Old Trafford after the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho.

Meanwhile, Barcelona, who are still coming to terms with Lionel Messi’s departure, are in need of an experienced attacker and could offer a viable escape route to Sterling.