Burnley attacker Peter Crouch heaped praise on Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling and claimed the 24-year-old should be a contender for PFA Player of the Year.
The experienced Premier League forward shared that he thought Sterling had been breathtaking this season and stated that he thought the Man City attacker was a serious contender for the personal honour.
“Well, he’s done that again. Sterling hasn’t just got better, he’s been breathtaking for Manchester City. So much so that England manager Gareth Southgate said this week he should be seriously considered for the PFA Player of the Year award,” wrote Crouch for the Daily Mail.
“Don’t think that is a manager saying something to keep one of his players onside. Sterling, without a doubt, is a serious rival to Virgil van Dijk and Sergio Aguero and it is time we celebrated what a special performer he has become. You cannot overstate what strength of character and determination has been required to get him into this position.”
Crouch then questioned how much Sterling would be worth if sold tomorrow and claimed that even if you trebled the £49million Man City paid for the player, which would be £147million, it still wouldn’t be close to the player’s true value.
“What would he be worth if he was for sale today? Double the £49million City paid for him? You could probably treble it and still not get close to his true value,” added the Burnley forward.
OPINION
Crouch is in awe of Sterling and who can blame him? The 24-year-old winger despite heavy criticism and having to deal with the pressure of playing for demanding teams such as England and Man City, has continued to shine bright. Sterling scored a hat-trick in the 3-1 win over Watford on Saturday, and is clearly an asset for his side. While Crouch believing the player’s true value is above £147million is bold, it’s easy to see where he is coming from. The transfer market has gone crazy in recent seasons and given what some other players have moved for, Sterling is easily worth more than the £49million Man City invested in him. Sterling has improved while working under Pep Guardiola and is a more complete player. Also given the fact he is still only 24-years-old, there is no doubt more to come from the Man City attacker, and that is a scary as well as exciting prospect.