Raheem Sterling has said he would be open to moving away from Manchester City to get more game time.
Sterling established himself as one of the star players during England's run to the final of Euro 2020 - scoring three goals from an expected goals (xG) figure of 3.63 alongside an assist from an expected assists (xA) tally of 1.07.
His 2020/21 Premier League campaign brought ten goals (11.03 xG) as well as seven assists (5.37 xA). Despite that, the forward could be departing the current champions before the conclusion of the transfer window.
But this season Sterling has made just two Premier League starts this season under Pep Guardiola.
'I need to play to be happy'
Speaking at the FT Business of Sport US Summit on Thursday evening, Sterling said: “If there was the opportunity to go somewhere else (for more game time), I would be open to it at this moment in time.
“As I said, football is the most important thing to me – challenges that I have set myself from a young age and dreams as well, to play abroad.
“As an English player all I know is the Premier League and I have always had something down (in me) that maybe one day I would love to play abroad to see how I would come up against that challenge.”
City boss Guardiola maintains Sterling is still very much a key member of the squad.
With forward Ferran Torres having suffered a fractured foot whilst on international duty with Spain, Sterling could soon be given another opportunity as City resume their Premier League campaign against Burnley on Saturday.
However, Sterling, whose current deal runs through to 2023, intends to continue to focus on maintaining his own standards whenever called upon.
“I’m not a person that’s going to complain. I’ve not tried to make it a bigger deal than it actually is,” Sterling said.
“I get on with my work, do what I need to do. And I’m just raring to go – playing football matches regularly, score goals regularly.
“From being a young child, football has been the most important thing in my life, my most happiest I should say.
“When I play football that is where I get my happiness from. And of course with family as well but football for me has a special place in my heart.
“With everything that comes with football, money, being able to do nice things, at the end of the day if football for me is not at a certain standard I’m not really at my happiest.
“If I want my happiness at a certain level I need to be playing football. I need to be scoring goals and enjoying myself.”
Where next for Sterling?
There isn't currently a market being offered on Sterling's next club, but back in August, Barcelona were the 9/2 favourites with Sky Bet to sign him in that transfer window.
It came after reports claimed that Guardiola would allow the forward to leave as part of a squad overhaul.
Focusing just on foreign clubs, PSG were 9/1 third-favourites, while Real Madrid (20/1) and Bayern Munich (33/1) were also in the top five in the betting.
