---
title: "Manchester City: Danny Murphy plays down links between Raheem Sterling and Gareth Bale swap as £70m Real Madrid bid looms"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-danny-murphy-plays-down-links-between-raheem-sterling-and-gareth-bale-swap-as-70m-real-madrid-bid-looms/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Stephan Georgiou"
section: "Features"
published: "2019-11-05T07:55:32Z"
modified: "2019-11-05T07:55:32Z"
---

# Manchester City: Danny Murphy plays down links between Raheem Sterling and Gareth Bale swap as £70m Real Madrid bid looms

**Former Premier League footballer Danny Murphy does not believe Manchester City will sanction a swap deal with Real Madrid between Raheem Sterling and Gareth Bale.**

[Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/11854029/raheem-sterling-real-madrid-plan-gareth-bale-70m-bid-for-forward) has reported that Sterling is set to be the subject of a £70m bid from the Spanish giants, with unsettled winger Bale thrown in as part of a proposal that is thought to be being prepared following the upcoming international break.

Murphy believes there is little appeal for City to entertain the offer – and suggested that the only way the deal would happen would be if Sterling himself fancied the move.

He told [TalkSPORT](https://twitter.com/talkSPORT/status/1191346859857580034): “Why would you go for that if you’re City?

“\[Bale’s\] a great player but injury-prone and nearing the end, and you’ve got Raheem Sterling.

“So you’re going to get a player that probably won’t play every week, and £70m – they don’t need 70 million quid.

“There’s nothing in it appealing \[for City\].

“If there was any truth in it, and Sterling knew that Madrid wanted him and he wanted to go, then you’ve got a problem if you’re City – if he knocks on the door and goes ‘I want out’ – \[but\] I can’t see that.”

Judging by both players’ respective starts to the season, it is clear where Real Madrid are coming from.

24-year-old Sterling already has 17 goals to his name from the wing for [club](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/raheem-sterling/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/134425/plus/0?saison=2019&verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=) and [country](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/raheem-sterling/nationalmannschaft/spieler/134425) this term, and is well on course to achieve his best season in front of goal having already made it halfway to his [previous best tally of 25](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/raheem-sterling/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/134425/plus/0?saison=&verein=281&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=) for City.

On the other hand, Bale has endured a fractured relationship with Real Madrid in recent months, particularly with manager Zinedine Zidane after the Frenchman [looked to push the 30-year-old out](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/07/22/departing-gareth-bale-has-found-language-barrier-real-madrid/) of the Santiago Bernabeu this summer.

Bale has only [scored twice](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/gareth-bale/leistungsdaten/spieler/39381) since the start of the season, which has recently been curtailed by a calf issue.

And there is Murphy’s case in point. The positives for Manchester City in such a deal look minimal given Bale’s current form and fitness levels – while Sterling looks to be going from strength to strength.

Any desire from Sterling to move to Spain could throw a spanner in the works, but that would be surprising given last year’s [contract extension](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46157225) and the success City have enjoyed since.

\[freshpress-poll id=”254334″\]

***City fans, is there any chance that the club would accept this deal? Would Bale be a success in Manchester? Join the discussion by commenting below!***