Raheem Sterling to be denied Real Madrid, Barcelona transfer?

Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling is unlikely to sign for either Barcelona or Real Madrid, according to a report.

The 26-year-old revealed last week that he is open to leaving the Etihad Stadium in search of regular game time, having struggled to force his way into Pep Guardiola's starting lineup.

Sterling also stated that he is considering a move abroad, with one report suggesting that he would prefer to join a club in either Spain or France.

Barcelona have been heavily linked with the England international in recent weeks, however Marca reports that the forward's €80m (£68m) price tag would be 'hugely problematic' for the Catalan outfit.

The report suggests that Real Madrid, meanwhile, could afford to match Man City's valuation of Sterling, but club president Florentino Perez is currently looking elsewhere, as Kylian Mbappe and Erling Braut Haaland remain their primary targets ahead of next summer's window.

Sterling is also attracting interest from Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, while Premier League trio Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle United are other clubs monitoring his situation.

The forward, who has less than two years remaining on his contract, has started just five of City's 12 matches across all competitions this season, scoring only once.