Rio Ferdinand is urging former side Manchester United and Liverpool to take a chance on signing a Manchester City star.
According to the pundit, both title-chasing clubs could aid their respective challenges by signing Raheem Sterling, who currently finds himself well down the pecking order at the Etihad.
The England international has only started two of City's six games so far this season, one of which being the side's disappointing 0-0 home draw against Southampton this past weekend.
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Reports have already emerged linking Sterling with a loan move away from Manchester in January, with cash-strapped Barcelona thought to be one of the clubs interested in a possible deal.
Former England and United defender Ferdinand is "baffled" by the underutilisation of the goalscoring winger, who is fresh from his Euro 2020 exploits for England.
"Where is Raheem Sterling? He's lost confidence because he's been taken out of the team," Ferdinand said per Manchester Evening News.
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"He was the go-to guy when they needed a goal, for so many years, and now all of a sudden he's in the wilderness.
"I'm baffled by it, I just don't understand. With Pep, he gets things right more often than not, but with this one there must be clubs sitting there going 'let's see how this pans out because I would take Sterling all day!"
According to Ferdinand, there would be no shortage of potential suitors if Sterling did opt for a new challenge - as City's biggest domestic rivals may even be tempted to lodge a bid.
"If I'm Liverpool, I'd buy Sterling tomorrow ... If I'm him, I wouldn't go to Barcelona or Real Madrid right now, that's why I said Liverpool... Man United will take him!," he added.
The 26-year-old's next chance to impress may come this evening, as Wycombe Wanderers travel to the Etihad for a Carabao Cup tie.
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City boss, Pep Guardiola, is expected to rotate his side, which should give players like Sterling - who is currently on the fringes of the first team - another chance to earn a place in the manager's first-choice XI.
"Now we are going to play the Carabao Cup," Guardiola told the media on Monday.
"We are going to see how many people recover for the next days because we are in difficult conditions right now but we will go there to London, Paris and Liverpool to do good games absolutely."
Topics: Manchester City, Manchester United, Pep Guardiola, Rio Ferdinand, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Raheem Sterling