Raheem Sterling's future remains uncertain as the final days of the window approach. (Image: Getty)
Raheem Sterling has already made his dream transfer clear ahead of a proposed move to Old Trafford and it's not a move to Manchester United.
Sterling has emerged as a late transfer candidate for the Red Devils after the winger was exiled from the Chelsea squad by new boss Enzo Maresca.
Talks of a Jadon Sancho swap have been mooted, with both Sterling and his compatriot believed to be open to the swap.
However, if United do manage to secure a late deal for Sterling, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team-mates will have to be wary of him and stop him using the club as a stepping stone.
That's because Sterling has previously expressed his admiration for La Liga giants Real Madrid during his time as a Manchester City player.
In 2020, while working under Pep Guardiola, Sterling said: “Nobody knows what the future holds.
“I am a player and I am always open to challenges, but at the moment my challenge is at City and I am really happy.
“I now have a contract with City and I have to respect it.
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Raheem Sterling has spoken about the possibility of joining Real Madrid while he was at Manchester City. (Image: Getty)
“Real Madrid is a fantastic club. When you see the white jersey, you know exactly what the club represents: it is huge.”
Of course, for Sterling to become a viable transfer target at the Santiago Bernabeu, a move to United would have had to prove a resounding success.
For now, that still seems a long way off, but given Sterling's tendency to move from club to club, it could be something United will have to consider in the future.
However, Sterling has spoken about the possibility of playing for United in the past, revealing, again while playing for City, that he was a Red Devil as a child.
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Speaking to the Mirror in 2019, he said: “I shouldn’t really say this – not now, certainly not now! – but when I was young I was a big United fan.
“I had an old Manchester United shirt from when they last won the FA Cup. I was at the final in 2007.
“If two or three kids could be inspired, that’s all I was trying to do. That’s exactly how I felt at the time.
“If there was a kid who had the chance to become a footballer, I hope it would give him the motivation or inspiration to change his dreams.”
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1941374/raheem-sterling-dream-transfer-man-utd-real-madrid