Saturday 29 September 2018 07:51, UK
Pep Guardiola believes"big talent" Raheem Sterling has kicked on since last season and now looks much more like a world-class, finished-article player.
Sterling scored a career-high 18 Premier League goals last season and has begun this campaign in impressive fashion with three goals in five league starts.
The England international has been deployed in a variety of positions this season as Guardiola has chopped and changed his formations, but the former Barcelona boss hinted he sees Sterling's long-term future as a No 10.
Asked about Sterling's performance levels compared to last season, Guardiola said: "I think it is higher. My feeling right now is that he is more mature than last season. I like it.
"Maybe I am wrong but my feeling is that he is more mature in terms of responsibility and in terms of belief. I think he believes more in himself than even last season, I guess.
"Raheem is a special guy and when he plays behind the striker he is so, so dangerous. In pre-season we played against Bayern Munich in the United States he played behind the striker and played really well.
"He is a big, big talent and hopefully he can get the minutes. He deserves to play."
Sterling has less than two years to run on the contract he signed when he joined City in a £50m deal from Liverpool in 2015.
Guardiola said he was unable to give an update on a new deal for Sterling as he is not actively involved in the talks, but insisted the attacking midfielder is not distracted by speculation surrounding his future.
"No. I am not involved," Guardiola said when probed about his involvement in a new contract for Sterling.
"The club asks me my opinion about the players and I say if I like, or don't like, or if they should continue, but after that it is the decision of the club.
"Today the players are so professional so they are not too much involved about the future.
"They know if they want a better future here or outside of here they have to play better every single day. So the players who think 'I am going to get a better contract outside or I am going to go to a better place in the future' - if they don't play well here they are not going to get a good contract in the future in an another place.
"They know that and every day is like a final for them. They have to live their profession in that way because it is a short profession. I can be a manager until I am 75 years old. They cannot play until 75 years old so it is a short career and they have to use it."
