“Whether or not that’s possible remains to be seen but there are several interested parties, including Arsenal,” he said.

“We know that Sterling himself turned down the opportunity to join Tottenham Hotspur on a permanent basis last summer but the idea of moving back to London, the idea of having the guarantee, almost, of a starting place in another elite Premier League club is extremely attractive to him.

“It’s whether or not Manchester City of course would want to see him play for a rival with regards to Champions League placings, title, etc.”

Sterling was linked with a move to Spurs as part of a deal to bring Harry Kane to the Etihad over the summer, and Barcelona are also understood to be keen on the winger.

The 26-year-old has scored 118 goals in 309 games for Man City since joining from Liverpool in 2015 for around £50 million.