Raheem Sterling’s prospective sponsorship deal with adidas could increase the chances of the forward signing for Real Madrid in the future.
The German sports brand manufacture Los Blancos’ kit and have a history of convincing their athletes to sign for the La Liga giants.
According to the Times, Sterling is set to sign with adidas when his current deal with Nike ends on 31 July. The Manchester City forward could earn as much as £10m per season if he meets various incentive targets, making it the largest kit deal in history for a British player.
The 25-year-old is enjoying another productive season, despite City finishing well adrift Liverpool in the Premier League title race. He has managed 29 goals in all competitions, also racking up nine assists.
The fact that adidas may be able to help Sterling move to Santiago Bernabeu in the future could be a reason behind the England international penning terms with the brand.
He has previously placed on record his desire to play for Real in an interview before City took him on in the first leg of the pair’s Champions League round of 16 tie.
Raheem Sterling has scored the most away goals in the Premier League this season!
His thumping strike moving him onto 13… so far.#WATMCI pic.twitter.com/UitHzlheEC
— 90min (@90min_Football) July 21, 2020
“Right now I’m at City and I’m really happy. But I say Real Madrid are a fantastic club. When you see the white shirt you know exactly what the club stands for, it’s massive,” he said.
Any deal that takes Sterling to Madrid is unlikely to happen until next summer at the very earliest. Real president Florentino Perez recently revealed that the coronavirus had affected the club’s financially meaning that any significant squad rebuild would be delayed.
When finances are back on an even keel it is understood that Sterling as well as Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe are top of Zinedine Zidane’s wishlist.
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