Barcelona ask Man City attacker ‘to make an economic effort’ for his transfer

Barcelona is preparing for a massive, yet concise transfer window ahead of them. With their cash-strapped condition, the club can afford to make only a few signings come January.

While many positions have been discussed, the forward line has been the biggest concern. After securing their first signing under the new coach, namely club legend Dani Alves, the Catalans are now looking to move faster on other fronts too.

Raheem Sterling to Barcelona is one story that has led the headlines over the past few weeks. The Englishman is ready to move to Catalonia to try a new challenge for a while now, and the Spanish side are equally eager for the move.

The only roadblock, according to SPORT, comes in the economic agreement, with both Manchester City and the player himself on relatively higher asking terms.

Sterling earns close to €18 million gross per season, a figure that the Catalans just can not afford to shell out at the moment. The club have applied pay cuts to all players, and offering such a high salary to a newcomer would not be received well.

That said, Barcelona are looking for solutions. The club will try and negotiate a middle ground with Sterling by replacing part of his salary in terms of variables. This would allow them to register him under the La Liga salary bracket. Moreover, it would be a more realistic option for the financially handicapped club.

Needless to say, the transfer will not be possible without effort or cooperation from the player’s end. It remains to be seen if Sterling accepts a pay-cut for a prominent role at Barcelona.