A fresh twist has emerged on reported Newcastle transfer target Raheem Sterling regarding his thoughts on a potential move to Tyneside.

What's the talk?

The England international has admitted that he would be open to a transfer away from Manchester City, claiming that football is the most important thing to him in life.

Sterling, who has been linked with a switch to St James' Park, has also revealed that he has ambitions to play outside of England.

He told BBC Sport: "If there was the opportunity to go somewhere else, I would be open to it. At this moment in time, football is the most important thing to me.

"I have always had something that maybe one day I would love to play abroad and see how I meet that challenge."

Excitement

These quotes from Sterling will surely leave Newcastle fans feeling excited, particularly following reports of the club's interest in signing him in 2022. PIF are reportedly keen on adding a marquee addition to the squad after their takeover and the 26-year-old is one of the players they are targeting to be the poster boy of the new era on Tyneside.

Whilst the talk of a transfer to a club outside of England is not ideal, the overall message hints at a move away from Manchester City, and that could open the door for Newcastle to swoop. They could convince him to put his travel plans on hold for a few years to come and lead the Magpies into the future as part of their rebuild, potentially leaving to play in Italy, Germany or Spain further down the line.

Therefore, Sterling's comments may leave Magpies fans hopeful that PIF could tempt him away from the Etihad Stadium in the coming months, as it has now known that he is open to leaving. Before these quotes came out, it was unclear whether or not the forward would have been interested in moving on from Pep Guardiola's side, which could have had a big impact on Newcastle's chances of landing him.

Over the summer, former Chelsea player and manager Frank Lampard was effusive in his praise of the former Liverpool flyer, saying: “He’s excellent, I love him as a player. He’s had a dip in form, and he’ll admit that, but what we’re seeing now is the player we’ve seen for the last three years.

"If I’m talking to a young, wannabe winger now who wants to play, he’s an example on the pitch and off the pitch. He’s had tough times, but now he’s coming through it and he looks like a man. He’s just a world-class player.”

This highlights the level of player Newcastle could be getting, with Lampard believing that Sterling is a 'world-class' footballer. His record of 115 goals in 302 games for Manchester City further emphasises this point and illustrates why Magpies supporters will surely be excited by the prospect of him arriving at St James' Park.

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