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Sterling needs to prove he’s worth £49m

By on July 15, 2015

What could one buy with £49 million? Around 2010, that would be both Sergio Aguero and Arjen Robben with money left to spare. £49m is worth two Cesc Fabregas’, both the 2011 and 2014 version. Nor have Alexis Sanchez, Diego Costa, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, ever been worth a fee as big. One could also do with Mario Gotze and the 2011 Manuel Neuer. Manchester United spent less than £15m more on Morgan Scheiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Memphis Depay altogether this summer. Manchester City, however, invested their £49 million all into one twenty-year-old Raheem Sterling.

United’s money is perhaps safer not because they have a bigger upside, but with the money spread across three players — with Schweinsteiger proven to perform at a world-class level for the next few years — there are fewer chances of disaster. If Sterling continues to grow over the next few seasons, then his £49m fee is justified. And while he’s one of England’s brightest stars of the future, he’s still made mostly of potential. City’s valuation is based on potential.

Sterling undoubtedly has the spark to light up City’s attack for years to come. We’ve seen glimpses of it in his time at Liverpool, particularly whilst working with Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge during the 2013/2014 season. He’s clearly got the talent; at City, his job is to consistently perform to his highest standards. “The more quality players around you, the more quality it brings out in you,” Sterling summarized per the BBC.

Particularly after a season in which Liverpool struggled up top, with Sterling bagging just seven goals and seven assists in thirty-four league appearances, worries have been muttered that his growth is potentially stagnating. The Raheem Sterling of 2014 is not worth £49 million. However, the Raheem Sterling of 2016 just might be; or not.

And then the cynics come into the conversation. Englishmen are overpriced, they say, and before long Andy Carroll’s name is thrown onto the debate table. Remember Eliaquim Mangala, Marouane Fellaini or Adam Lallana? Nobody, even City, ever dared put anywhere near that much gambling money on their success. Few below the echelons of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi can justify such a price tag without over-performing, much less a twenty-year-old. He’s a very good player but still only has a chance becoming great.

The bottom line is, it all depends on Sterling’s performances. He could’ve been purchased for £20 million or £100 million and still be a flop or success. Either way, the move is a risk for City, who have taken the opportunity to win big or flop even bigger upon their shoulders. Sterling may be worth the money, but he needs to prove it first.

Homepage photo credit: Kamran Hussain, via Wikimedia Commons

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.