Barcelona requirement boosts Liverpool hopes as precursor to Man City raid

Barcelona are plotting a swoop for Raheem Sterling from Manchester City, but must first offload Liverpool-linked Ousmane Dembele to free up funds for the deal, per a report.

Dembele is yet to play for Barcelona this season due to an injury he sustained in Euro 2020. Furthermore, the winger only played nine games for Barcelona the previous season.

Dembele is out of contract at Barcelona in June 2022, and if they want to cash in, it will have to be soon. TEAMtalk exclusively revealed on Saturday details of Liverpool’s potential swoop for Dembele over the coming year.

The Reds have their eye on a free agent acquisition of the flyer. A January sale would be more to Barcelona’s benefit, and given the impending absences of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to the 2021 AFCON, Liverpool may be tempted to pull the trigger early in the winter window.

And if Barcelona are able to offload Dembele, their path to signing Raheem Sterling would be clear, per Sport.

Sterling is under contract at Manchester City for another year, so a deal would not come cheap.

Additionally, the Englishman remains a key member of Manchester City’s squad despite struggling to start matches this season. He has played in 10 games for the English champions so far in the campaign.

Sterling has established himself as one of the premier players in world football in recent years. His performances in the Euro’s, where he scored three goals and assisted one highlighted his talent.

Sterling would be a massive asset to any side, and with Barcelona currently ninth in La Liga, they could use a player of his quality.

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Manchester City possess an array of attacking talent. £100million summer signing Jack Grealish was added to the likes of Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Ferran Torres, making a Sterling sale a smaller blow than in previous seasons.

City sit third in the league, even after the sale of Sergio Aguero to Barcelona in the summer. They may be willing to let Sterling go to Barcelona for the right price, where he would link up with his former teammate.

Man City planning big moves

Man City are always active in the transfer window, and it seems the next couple will be no exception.

The club are looking at a number of players, and with their vast riches, if Sterling was to leave, they would be able to replace him in no time.

One player of particular interest in Dusan Vlahovic. The Fiorentina striker is a man in high demand across Europe.

City have informed his agents of the contract they plan to give to the player. Already getting themselves right in the mix to complete a transfer.

A striker would be of massive help, as they did not replace Aguero in the window just gone. Surely it would be difficult for anybody to say no to Man City these days.

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