Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez is sizing up one of Manchester City's star players, and is reportedly prepared to offer the Premier League champions €70 million plus Gareth Bale to secure the deal.
According to reports in England, Real are planning to make an offer of €70 million (R1.1 billion) to City plus Gareth Bale, who is valued at €60 million (R990 million) according to Transfermarkt, for Raheem Sterling's signature.
Sky Sports has claimed that Perez is a keen admirer of the England international, and that the Real chief had previously sent the club's general director Jose Angel Sanchez to meet with Sterling's agents at the start of the season.
The parties were unable to reach any agreement and, fearing that the Englishman's current valuation is likely to increase even further next season, Real are now reportedly preparing to try to convince City to sell their star man in January by using wantaway forward Bale as part of the deal.
Despite Los Blancos' advances, however, Citizens boss Pep Guardiola is said to have no interest in bringing Bale to the Etihad Stadium, and is unlikely to entertain any offer for the Three Lions forward.
Sterling joined City from Premier League rivals Liverpool for a then-English record fee of £44 million (R840 million) in 2015, and has scored 82 goals in 206 appearances for the Manchester club since.
