AC Milan are reportedly ready to go head-to-head with Arsenal for the signature of Manchester City attacker Raheem Sterling this summer.
The 27-year-old has not been able to nail down a regular starting place in Pep Guardiola's XI and has been tipped to advance his career elsewhere from the 2022-23 season onwards.
Sterling is also yet to commit to a new deal with the Premier League champions beyond the summer of 2023, leaving City in a difficult position regarding his future.
The Citizens may accept a cut-price fee for the former Liverpool man in order to avoid losing him on a free transfer next term, and he is not expected to be short of suitors.
Barcelona were tipped to bring Sterling to Camp Nou on loan back in January, but the Catalans' ongoing financial problems makes a summer move seem unlikely.
Sterling knows Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta well from his time as Pep Guardiola's lieutenant, and Calciomercato now claims that the Spaniard is keen to link up with his former player at the Emirates.
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The report adds that Guardiola is open to parting ways with Sterling as he seeks to "revolutionize" his frontline, with the Premier League champions rumoured to have agreed personal terms with Borussia Dortmund's Erling Braut Haaland.
While the Gunners are well-stocked out wide with Nicolas Pepe, Gabriel Martinelli, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, Arteta will be in the market for at least one new centre-forward this summer.
Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette are both set to depart as free agents, leading to talk of Arsenal also plotting a move for Sterling's £40m-rated City teammate Gabriel Jesus.
However, the report adds that Arsenal will have to battle AC Milan for Sterling's signature, with Paolo Maldini identifying the England international as an ideal summer acquisition.
Sterling was questioned on his future before the first leg of City's Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid, but the winger is not preparing to think about his off-field dilemmas until the season is done and dusted.
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"At the minute, I'm just happy to be playing, happy to be contributing with the team, I think that's the most important thing," Sterling told reporters.
"At this period, I think it would be selfish of me to speak of any contract situation and I'm just happy to be playing football and see where we are at the end of the season."
Sterling did not start either leg of his side's semi-final with Real Madrid and only earned 21 minutes as a substitute as City suffered a Bernabeu collapse to lose 6-5 on aggregate.
The attacker has amassed a total of 14 goals and seven assists from 44 games in all tournaments during the 2021-22 season, and he has made the starting lineup on 21 occasions in the Premier League.
Sterling's exploits this term have seen him take his total tally for Man City to 128 goals and 93 assists in 336 games, while he has won three Premier League titles, five FA Cups and the EFL Cup at the Etihad.
Ben Knapton
