REAL MADRID will launch an all-out assault to land Raheem Sterling in the wake of Manchester City’s two-year Euro ban.
And Juventus will ramp up their bid to lure City boss Pep Guardiola to Italy.
Raheem Sterling is wanted by Spanish giants Real Madrid – who think they can poach him if City are out of European competitionCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Spanish giants Real were already planning a summer swoop for City’s £180million-rated England winger before the FFP bombshell.
Now they feel a lack of European football can finally see Sterling head to the Bernabeu.
The forward, 25, is under contract for another three years.
He earns around £300,000 a week, though in November talks began over increasing his salary to £450,000 a week.
Yet City face missing out on a £170m Champions League jackpot if their appeal fails. And without that income, they could not boost his wages.
Sterling has made no secret of the fact he would love to play abroad at some stage.
City’s next European game is in Madrid on Wednesday week, when they face Real in the Champions League last 16.
SunSport revealed last week how Juve president Andrea Agnelli is desperate to make Guardiola his next boss.
And City’s shock rap by Uefa has added to Juve’s belief that Guardiola CAN be enticed to Turin.
A Juve source said: “Agnelli will hope this news changes everything.
“He has told people he would do anything to get Guardiola — and now he will feel there is more chance than ever.”
City are furious at the “prejudicial process” by ex-Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme, which saw them banned from Europe for the next two seasons and fined £25m for FFP rule breaches.
And the punishment has thrown ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola’s City future into further doubt.
The Spaniard’s Etihad deal runs out in 2021 and despite saying he is ready to extend it, nothing has been signed.
Meanwhile, City fans’ chief Kevin Parker fears their appeal over the ban is destined to fail.
Parker, general secretary of their supporters’ club, told the BBC: “City will challenge it but I’m not sure whether it will make a great deal of difference.
“I’m not massively surprised by the ban. It has been going on for some time. But two years is a bit of a surprise.”
Pep Guardiola is now odds-on to leave Man City before the start of next season and is wanted by JuventusCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
