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Writer's pictureBobby Vincent

Raheem Sterling: The Premier League's Most Underrated Star?


Raheem Sterling of Manchester City is very highly-rated - with good reason - but does the exceptional talent of the England forward make him a tad underrated?


Sterling's goal involvement this season (2018/19) has been immense - with the 24-year-old scoring 15 and setting up nine goals in 27 appearances in the Premier League for City.


The rapid winger, who has played as a central striker and an attacking midfielder in the past, has kept improving his goal tally with every season's conclusion.


Sterling is well on-track to do that yet again - three goals off his 2017/18 tally - when he netted 18 Premier League goals.


The season before: seven and his debut season in Manchester saw the youngster score just six times - but there was A LOT more to come.


Sterling scored a hat-trick for England in a win against Czech Republic last week (image via SPORTBible).


 

Raheem's Road to Royalty


The former QPR youth graduate joined Liverpool in 2010 for a fee that eventually rose to £5m after an initial £600,000.


In his "breakthrough" season at Anfield; Sterling featured just three times for the Reds - scoring no goals, but impressing nonetheless.


In 2012/13, Brendan Rodgers took over on Merseyside, and Sterling became a very important player for Liverpool - making 24 appearances in the league - scoring twice, with his first goal coming at Anfield against Reading.



But the next season saw Sterling become a star. A player who would finally begin to unlock that hidden potential.


It was the 2013/14 season - a campaign that saw Liverpool come agonisingly close to their first ever Premier League title, and Sterling was a key man in the title bid.


Sterling scored nine goals in 33 appearances for the Reds, spending the second half of the season playing in a central position behind Liverpool's deadly front-two of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.


The next season, Sterling continued his fine form for Liverpool and even played as a make-shift striker with the Reds' injury woes, and notched seven league goals that campaign.


Sterling with his former manager Rodgers - who he had a mixed relationship with (image via GiveMeSport).

Price-Tag Questions


After much dispute, and with the forward's agent Aidy Ward right at the heart of much media attention, Sterling secured his move to Manchester City, and he hasn't looked back.


Sterling signed for City for a reported £50m on 12 July, 2015, from Liverpool after much contract dispute and a rather toxic exit from Anfield.


£50m seemed a large amount of money almost five years ago and there were many people critical of Sterling, who "lacked end-product".


But, the man came into his own, with 46 goals in 124 league appearances for the reigning champions which is a fabulous return from someone who is still only 24.



There's perhaps a misconception surrounding Sterling, but the lad's still only 24 - with eight years experience in the Premier League!


Sterling is blessed. No doubt about it. To be in a team with the likes of Sergio Aguero and/or Gabriel Jesus. Leroy Sane, Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo and David Silva - Kevin De Bruyne - when he's fit.


The man has the world at his young feet. If I was to tip somebody right now - who is not Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi - to win the Ballon d'Or; it would be Sterling.


Granted, the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe may have something to say about that. But if Sterling stays at City, under the tutelage of the best manager in the world in Pep Guardiola, who has undoubtedly been a huge factor in Sterling's rapid development, he will become a Premier League legend.


I believe despite Sterling, despite being very highly-rated by pretty much everyone who has an opinion on football, is still the most underrated player in the Premier League. That's how good at football the lad is.





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