A year ago on Friday, the England defender John Stones was pushing the case for his club and international teammate Raheem Sterling to be named as the outstanding player of a gripping, exhilarating European Championship.
Their national side had just reached the final thanks to two decisive interventions from Sterling in their semi, on top of his three goals in the previous matches.
Twelve months on, Stones is preparing to bid Sterling farewell, their association at Manchester City poised to come to an end with the striker’s probable move to Chelsea, where personal terms have been agreed and the selling and buying clubs are close to agreement on a fee of between £45m and £50m.
Stones and Sterling have won four Premier League titles and numerous cups together, and though they can look forward to many more afternoons and nights as allies in the national side, the end of Sterling’s time as a City player will resonate heavily, and do so all around the Etihad campus.
His stamp on City’s successes of the last five years is deep and bold, and extends far beyond the 78 goals he contributed to the club’s quartet of league titles since 2018.
Sterling is only 27, and ambitious for the kind of individual prize Stones recommended for him as England approached the final of the last Euros, which they lost on penalties to Italy.
The Azzurri goalkeeper Gigio Donnarumma was named Player of the Tournament partly as a result of that shoot-out. Sterling’s status as a leader of the England renaissance remains intact nonetheless.
He covets a place on a Ballon d’Or podium and had begun to suspect that, without a guaranteed starting place in the City line-up for the most important matches, that target might recede. Last season, Sterling began the two legs of City’s Champions League semi-final on the bench, where manager Pep Guardiola had also left him for the second leg of the quarter-final against Atletico Madrid.
Manchester City season ratings
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GOALKEEPERS: Ederson 8 - Won the coveted Premier League Golden Glove award after keeping 20 clean sheets this season. In a team full of pass masters, the Brazilian can hold his own against any of his outfield teammates. AP Photo -
Zack Steffen 5 - Usually an able deputy but his mistake against Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final cost City the chance of a league-and-cup double. EPA -
DEFENDERS: Kyle Walker 8 - A one-man flank down City's right. Few posses the Englishman's pace and powers of recovery. His distribution has improved this campaign too. AFP -
Ruben Dias 6 - Failed to match last season's achievements when he was named player of the season. Found himself in and out of the side. AFP -
John Stones 7 - Showed his versatility by filling in at right-back on occasion and another solid season ends with a Premier League winner's medal. Getty Images -
Nathan Ake 6 - A much-improved season though still struggling to nail down a first-team place. Always committed and gives his all. AFP -
Oleksandr Zinchenko 7 - Emotional scenes at the Etihad as the Ukrainian draped his country's flag around the Premier League trophy. Underrated player who never grumbles about filling in at left-back despite being a midfielder by trade. Getty Images -
Aymeric Laporte 8 - After playing second fiddle to Dias last season, the Spaniard has re-emerged as one of the best centre-backs in the league this term. Reuters -
Joao Cancelo 9 - The Portuguese almost seems wasted at left-back, such is his passing ability and knack for supplying teammates during his forays forward. City's player of the season, for me. AFP -
MIDFIELDERS: Ilkay Gundogan 8 - When it looked as though the title was lost on the final day, the German midfielder came off the bench to drag City over the line with two of the most important goals of his career. Another excellent campaign. AFP -
Jack Grealish 6 - Hard to say the Englishman has justified his £100 million price tag, or that he has necessarily made City a better team. AFP -
Rodri 8 - The Spanish metronome just keeps City ticking. Popped up with some crucial goals as City won a fourth Premier League title in five seasons. AFP -
Kevin de Bruyne 9 - Another standout campaign from the brilliant Belgian. Fifteen-goals - including four in one match against Wolves - and eight assists despite missing eight league games. Will undoubtedly get a statue at the Etihad alongside Aguero, Kompany and Silva when he does call it a day. Getty Images -
Bernardo Silva 8 - The one player Guardiola can give any assignment to - whether at the base, on the wing or as a False 9 - knowing he will excel in that role. Getty Images -
Fernandinho 6 - Took Guardiola by surprise when he announced he will leave the club this summer. Second fiddle to Rodri now, but what a loyal servant the Brazilian has been. Getty Images -
Phil Foden 8 - Few players have the poise and grace of Foden. One of those players that can run with ball full speed. An absolute nightmare for defenders. Getty Images -
Cole Palmer 5 - No shame in finding minutes hard to come by with City's galaxy of midfield stars ahead of him. Getty Images -
Raheem Sterling 7 - A bit of a mixed bag for the English forward. A healthy goal return of 13 in the league but has looked leggy, with perhaps tiredness a factor having helped England reach the Euro 2020 final last summer. Getty Images -
Riyad Mahrez 7 - A hint of friction with his manager at times this season and has not always been first choice. Still contributed 11 league goals to City's victorious Premier League campaign. Getty Images -
Gabriel Jesus 7 - With record-scorer Sergio Aguero departing last summer, the scene looked set for the Brazilian to establish himself as undisputed first choice. That didn't happen, but Jesus is a workhorse whom Guardiola seems to love. Half of his eight league goals came in a single match against Watford. Getty Images -
MANAGER: Pep Guardiola 8 - Kept his troops focussed even when momentum looked to have shifted Liverpool's way. Will go down as one of the greatest managers in Premier League history. AP
With Gabriel Jesus having left City for Arsenal, a radical refit of City’s front line is in progress. Erling Haaland’s arrival equips the club with a brilliant young goalscorer and, for the first time in many years, an elite centre-forward who meets the description of an orthodox target man. He will slot into a team where the playing system is dazzlingly refined but looks very different from 14 months ago, when Sterling, Jesus and Sergio Aguero – now retired – were up front together as City celebrated their 2020-21 title.
There is no rancour towards City from Sterling, who appreciates how his work under Guardiola has elevated him as a footballer. He fought hard, back in 2015 to push through a move to City, upsetting Liverpool, whose academy he had joined as a 15-year-old with exceptional dribbling skills. He matured hugely in Manchester, captaining City on occasion. England have been direct beneficiaries of his increased confidence, creativity and leadership.
Should the final details of his transfer to Chelsea be agreed, Sterling will have a unique CV, a collection of club employers who are undoubtedly the dominant trio in the Premier League in the period of his peak years: Liverpool, champions in 2020, European Cup winners in 2019; the serially successful City; plus Chelsea, who were the last club from outside England’s north-west to win the league – in 2017 – and who defeated City to win the 2021 Champions League final.
A European Cup would embellish Sterling’s list of honours and he would be a statement recruit for a Chelsea embarking on a new era under fresh ownership, following the enforced sale of the club last month by Roman Abramovich, the sanctioned Russia-born billionaire. Like City, Chelsea are adjusting their attacking strategy, with Romelu Lukaku being loaned to Internazionale after his disappointing season, and a possible exit to AC Milan, also on loan, for Hakim Ziyech being explored.
Thomas Tuchel, the Chelsea manager, is an admirer of Sterling’s and, if his assets are well harnessed, he could give Chelsea some of the drive and verve they enjoyed from Eden Hazard over many years.
He would be back closer to the area of west London where grew up. He would be calling home a stadium where has in the past been subject to some vile abuse from a small minority of fans.
He would take a place at the top of Chelsea’s wage structure – pending other possible signings by the new ownership group – and signal to City and Liverpool that the third-placed finishers in last season’s Premier League intend to challenge the top two harder over the next 11 months.
