Raheem Sterling has flirted with the idea of playing abroad before; Manchester City's problem is that current circumstances mean that the possibility could be more plausible than ever.
Just seven days before City's Champions League last-16 clash with Real Madrid, the England winger gave an interview to a newspaper based in the Spanish capital describing them as a "fantastic club".
While Sterling reiterated his commitment to the Premier League champions, he told AS: "I’m at City and I’m really happy. But I say Real Madrid are a fantastic club, when you see the white shirt you know exactly what the club stands for, it’s massive."
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City's two-year ban from the Champions League for a "serious" breach of Financial Fair Play regulations, instantly prompted speculation about the future of many of the club's stars.
Sterling has long been linked with a move to Madrid but he was the first player to go public, via his agent, insisting he won't be distracted by the ban with the club appealing the decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. But any interest from Spain will not be merely based around speculation of a fire sale at the Etihad Stadium.
Sterling is now rightly considered one of the best footballers in the world and at just 25, is starting the peak years of his career. It's understandable that the Spanish giants would be keen. For decades, Madrid has been the destination for the sport's most influential superstars and the winger is fast becoming the biggest brand in English football since David Beckham, who himself spent four years at Santiago Bernabeu among a generation of Galacticos.
Since an acrimonious transfer from former club Liverpool, Sterling has worked hard on turning his reputation around both on and off the pitch. Finishing was always the biggest criticism Sterling faced but he has already passed the 20-goal mark for a third successive season.
But his all-round game has leapt forward under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, scoring or assisting 37 goals from 40 matches for club and country this season. And he was deservedly named the Football Writers' Association Player of the Year for his standout contribution to City's domestic treble.
Away from the pitch, he has overcome hostile tabloid coverage to transform his image away from the perceived greedy footballer that agitated for a move away from Anfield four-and-a-half years ago. He has won new fans by speaking out about racism and the portrayal of black sportspeople in the media and has gone from England boo-boy to national hero.
Sterling had admitted in July 2019 that "it's always been a dream of mine to play abroad" and Guardiola insisted that his players are free to speak however they want. But a decision to be so effusive for Madrid may have raised a few eyebrows inside the Etihad. The City boss said on Friday that if the Spanish clubs were to follow up with serious interest, it would cause any other team to "tremble".
"All the clubs have to know that when Real Madrid or Barcelona knock on the door, the other clubs must tremble, they will be a little bit in trouble," he said before the Premier League clash with Leicester. "Barcelona and Real Madrid are maybe the strongest and most powerful teams in terms of history and how good they are. That is normal and I understand completely.
"But on the same point, you just see the commitment from Raheem, every single day when he arrives, his commitment in every game, offensively and defensively.
"So he's one of the best players in the world and it's normal that big clubs see his desire for the team. I don’t know if Madrid or Barcelona called his agent. I don’t have any doubts about his commitment from the first day to the last day that Raheem and other ones have had and will have until the end.”
Sterling's current deal with City, worth around £300,000 a week, runs until 2023 so the club do not need to worry about his contract in the short term. And with two Premier League titles and three domestic cup wins, success at City has been sustained up to now.
The forward remains committed to helping the club to a maiden Champions League victory, starting at Madrid on Wednesday. Should he be back in time from a hamstring injury and delivering a telling blow on the Spanish side, it would be just another reason for the 13-time winners to take an interest in the England international.
