Sterling verbally agrees new long-term Manchester City deal

Raheem Sterling has verbally agreed a new bumper five-year deal with Manchester City, reports The Daily Mail.

Sterling will have only 12 months left to run on his current £180,000-a-week City deal at the end of the season and there were concerns Pep Guardiola’s side would have to make a decision on his future in the summer.

The 23-year-old shelved contract talks at the start of last season in the hope of dazzling at the 2018 World Cup in order to command a better deal but things didn’t go to plan for Sterling in Russia.

City would have contemplated selling Sterling at the end of the current campaign if the England international still hadn’t put pen to paper on a new long-term deal but it is now understood the reigning English champions have made a decisive breakthrough in talks.

While there is nothing definitive at this point, Sterling is understood to have verbally agreed to become one of City’s best-paid players on £300,000-a-week, dealing a blow in Real Madrid’s reported pursuit of the forward.

Sterling ended a three-year goalscoring drought for England with a brace in a shock 3-2 win over Spain in October and his performance reportedly triggered Madrid to rekindle their long-term interest in the City No.7.

Sterling has developed hugely under Guardiola and is now considered one of the best attackers in the Premier League after playing an integral part in City’s league and cup double last season.

In fact, only Sergio Aguero (27) has scored more Premier League goals than Sterling (22) of all City players since the start of last season.