Manchester City are reportedly not prepared to part ways with Raheem Sterling amid links regarding a January switch to Barcelona.
The England international has found it difficult to cement his place in the team under Pep Guardiola and has admitted that he would be open to taking on a new challenge.
With Barcelona yet to tie Ousmane Dembele down to a new deal and without Sergio Aguero for at least the next three months, Sterling - supposedly valued at £45m by the Citizens - has been linked with a loan move to Camp Nou over the winter.
However, the Manchester Evening News claims that the Premier League champions are highly unlikely to let Sterling depart midway through the campaign, with the chances of a January deal "remote" for Barcelona.
In spite of his recent comments over a potential future exit, the report adds that Sterling is still fighting to return to the starting XI on a regular basis for Man City.
The 26-year-old is due to become a free agent in 2023 and provided the assist for Harry Kane's second and England's fourth against Albania in Friday's World Cup 2022 qualifier.
Ben Knapton
