Raheem Sterling has opened up about his controversial move to Manchester City and confessed how he was already thinking about leaving Liverpool when he joined the Merseyside club at the age of 15.

English winger Sterling joined Liverpool from boyhood club Queens Park Rangers in 2010 and he revealed how he always planned to move to another club if the Reds struggled to win trophies. His former club came the closest to breaking their trophy lull in the 2013/14 season, when they finished runners up to City. They struggled to back that success in the 2014/15 season as they finished sixth on the Premier League table, eight points off a Top 4 spot.

Speaking on BBC’s The Premier League Show, Sterling said, “At that time I was 15 years old and we were already talking about what we’d like to do after Liverpool if things didn’t turn out like we wanted. I just said well this is a massive club and a massive opportunity for me now but I remember saying to him by the time I’m 22, if I haven’t won anything or playing in the biggest competitions then I need to assess my options.”

Manchester City's English midfielder Raheem Sterling (C) wriggles past Bournemouth's South African-born English midfielder Andrew Surman (2L) and Bournemouth's English defender Simon Francis (2R) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on September 17, 2016. (Photo by Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images)
Manchester City’s English midfielder Raheem Sterling (C) wriggles past Bournemouth’s South African-born English midfielder Andrew Surman (2L) and Bournemouth’s English defender Simon Francis (2R) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on September 17, 2016. (Photo by Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images)

Sterling’s desire to play at the highest level – and at the pinnacle of European football – saw him move from Liverpool to Manchester City in the summer of 2015. And after struggling to adapt to life at the Etihad Stadium, the Englishman is finally beginning to fulfill the potential that saw the Citizens shell out a massive £49 million.

He added: “I’m not saying there aren’t some great players at Liverpool because there are but it was for me, my development and where I wanted to be. It was about playing in the Champions League and against the biggest teams like Barcelona.”

Sterling seems to have rediscovered the form that saw him forge a formidable partnership with Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge in the 2013/14 season. And he has done just that with Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage this year. It remains to be seen whether City can make a successful bid for the title. A promising start, though, bears good signs for success this season for Sterling and co.

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