‘I don’t want him to go’: Sky pundit ‘devastated’ at Arsenal & Chelsea target’s possible exit

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Micah Richards has claimed that he doesn’t want Arsenal and Chelsea transfer target, Raheem Sterling, to leave Manchester City.

The TV pundit labelled Sterling a ‘Manchester City legend’ and added that he would be ‘devastated’ if he was sold this summer.

With Sterling being born and bred in London, there have been strong transfer rumours linking him back to a return to the capital.

Arsenal’s name has popped up on many occasions, as well as Tottenham’s, but it seems as though it’s Chelsea who might just win the race for the England international.

Whatever happens with Sterling during these coming weeks, Richards made it clear that during his time at the Etihad he has been an ‘underappreciated’ figure, as he told Sky Sports News.

“We don’t want Raheem to go,” said Richards. “I would be devastated. Manchester City are still well-equipped to have anybody in that position and still do well.

“But Raheem, for me, is a Man City legend and I wouldn’t want to see him go. I think he is underappreciated if I am totally honest.

“It’s not just his goals and assists, it’s the runs he makes in-behind for the team and he is a team player, so I don’t want him to go.”

A RISK MANCHESTER CITY CAN AFFORD?

There aren’t many teams that can happily sell big-name players and be at ease with them heading for the exit door, even Liverpool tried so hard to keep Sadio Mane before he jetted off to Germany.

But it seems as though the Premier League champions aren’t just happy for Sterling to depart, but that to a team that finished in third place last season.

Even looking at the teams keen on the player, all of them finished directly below Pep Guardiola’s side, so if anything, he will make whoever he joins stronger.

But when you have the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, and the new face, Erling Haaland, in your ranks, then you are going to sleep a lot easier even if one of your big-name players asks for regular game time elsewhere.