Manchester United supporters have more reason than most to share reservations about the prospect of Raheem Sterling moving to Old Trafford as part of a swap deal involving Jadon Sancho.
The last time the Red Devils embarked on a player exchange with a Premier League rival, it went about a disastrously as could have imagined.
While Henrikh Mkhitaryan didn’t exactly pull up too many trees at Arsenal, Alexis Sanchez surely commands a place on the podium when discussing Manchester United’s most disappointing signings of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
What’s more, United have had their fingers burned in the past when signing ageing, high-earning players arguably past their peak. Raheem Sterling – 29 years of age and reportedly taking home over £300,000-a-week at Chelsea – is precisely the sort of addition Ineos have sworn themselves off after seizing control from the Glazers.
And then there is Sterling’s Liverpool and Manchester City connections to consider.
Yes, he was a boyhood United fan – Sterling admitted as much to The Mirror in 2019 – though that will count for little in the minds of many Red Devils supporters.
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Manchester United may swap Raheem Sterling for Jadon Sancho
In terms of pure ability, experience, professionalism and goal threat, however, Sterling should still have plenty to offer at the very highest level.
Danny Murphy, the former England midfielder, feels that the criticism of his two-year spell at Chelsea has been massively overblown.
He is convinced that Sterling will outscore most of Man United’s other forwards should he arrive at Old Trafford, while arguing that the four-time Premier League winner is also a massive upgrade on the player who could go in the other direction.
“I think Sterling is better more productive (than Sancho). Given enough game time, he will score more goals than the other wingers they’ve got,” Murphy tells talkSPORT (28 August, 10.40am).
“Also, from my understanding of Sterling, whether you admire him as a footballer or not, one thing that has never been in question has been his dedication. How he trains, how he conducts himself, how he helps the younger players.
“I think Sterling could help Amad (Diallo), (Alejandro) Garnacho, maybe even (Marcus) Rashford a little bit.
“If you’re not going to use Sancho, and you can bring in someone who is better and more productive in the final third for a similar wage, it makes sense.”
Even during a largely underwhelming 2023/24 campaign, Sterling still hit 10 goals and eight assists. More than Rashford, and level with the luckless Garnacho.
He is also just 27 short of 200 career strikes.
United fans will be ‘pleasantly surprised’
“Sterling, you could argue, would get in the United team. There is a football argument to say, if Sterling goes to United, he’s their best winger,” adds Murphy, once of Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham.
“I like him. Even last season, looking at his numbers and his performances, yes they were up and down but he still got double-figure goals because he is such a threat.
“He’s got winning experience. He’s been around winners, at a club that wins, wins, wins. That’s got to give you something. He scored a ridiculous amount of goals at City and won things.
“Sterling is not a risk. If you give him time and minutes, he will produce for you. He has done it time and time again.
“He is better than Antony, better than Amad, and more experienced. Garnacho is on the rise – he had a good season – but Sterling scored more. if you look at his numbers, they are evidence of what he can do if he gets minutes.
“Nobody says a bad word about Sterling. People who have coached him and trained with him speak very highly of him.
“I think you might be pleasantly surprised if it happens.”
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