Manchester City are preparing to offer Raheem Sterling a new contract, according to reports.
The England international is tied down at the Etihad Stadium until 2023, having signed a three-year extension to his deal last November.
The new terms saw Sterling, who currently earns around £300,000 per week, become one of the best-paid players in the Premier League.
But according to the Metro, City are set to offer the former Liverpool forward another extension in a bid to ward off interest from overseas.
Sterling was linked with a move to Real Madrid during the summer transfer window, and los Blancos would no doubt have been heartened by comments made the 24-year-old earlier this year.
“Ever since I was a kid, 100 per cent it has always been a dream of mine to play abroad somewhere,” Sterling told GQ in July, fuelling speculation that he may move to La Liga in the future.
City consider the winger to be one of their prized assets are determined to keep hold of him for years to come.
The Premier League champions value Sterling at around £200m, meaning it would likely take a world-record transfer fee to prise him away from the Etihad Stadium.
And City do not want to be in a situation where Sterling has two years or 18 months left to run on his deal, which would significantly strengthen his hand in terms of a potential transfer.
They also feel Sterling deserves a reward for his fine performances since the start of last season, with the forward winning the FWA Football of the Year award for 2018/19.
Club officials plan to hold discussions with Sterling’s representatives in the New Year, and hope to persuade the player to put pen to paper at some point in 2020.
City return to Premier League action against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
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