Pep Guardiola speaks on Raheem Sterling's possible return to Man City

Man City head coach Pep Guardiola has responded to possible questions about Raheem Sterling making a return to the Ethiad in the summer 2024 transfer window.

Following the uncertainty surrounding the future of Chelsea's Raheem Sterling, Man City manager Pep Guardiola has dismissed any possibility of re-signing the England international.

The 29-year-old has been sidelined from Chelsea’s first-team squad by new manager Enzo Maresca and was notably absent from the matchday lineup for their Premier League clash against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge last Sunday.

Manchester City secured a 2-0 victory over Chelsea in that match, with goals from Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic marking a strong start to their Premier League title defence.

Amid speculation about a potential return to Manchester City, especially after the club re-signed Ilkay Gundogan from FC Barcelona on a free transfer, Guardiola addressed the rumours, stating, "He’s a Chelsea player, absolutely. I have great memories of the time we shared with Raheem and Enzo. I wish him all the best, but he’s definitely a Chelsea player."

Sterling, who previously found the net against Manchester City for Chelsea, enjoyed a successful stint at the Etihad Stadium, where he won four Premier League titles, five League Cups, the FA Cup, and the FA Community Shield. During his time with City, Sterling scored 131 goals in 339 appearances before being sold to Chelsea in a £50 million transfer in July 2022.

The English forward was also missing from Chelsea’s squad for their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off first-leg match against Servette on Thursday evening and has since been linked with moves to other clubs like Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.

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