Raheem Sterling Joins Manchester City From Liverpool In Blockbuster Transfer

Raheem Sterling’s long-running contract and transfer sagas are finished.

Sterling joined Manchester City from Liverpool on Tuesday, the Premier League clubs announced on their websites. The 20-year-old forward passed his physical examination and signed a five-year contract with Manchester City, finalizing one of the most anticipated and expensive transfers of the summer 2015 window.

“Raheem Sterling is one of the best attacking players in world football, and I am very much looking forward to him joining our squad out in Australia later this week,” Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said, according to MCFC.co.uk. “He is a young player with outstanding ability, and I am sure the Manchester City fans will be very excited about seeing him in action for the team.”

Manchester City reportedly paid £49 million ($76 million) to sign Sterling, who had two remaining years on his Liverpool contract.

Sterling spent months pushing for a transfer, earning widespread criticism for his approach in doing so.

Sterling joined Liverpool from Queens Park Rangers in 2010 as a 15-year-old. Sterling developed in Liverpool’s academy and graduated to the Reds’ first team in 2012. Sterling appeared in 129 games for Liverpool, scoring 23 goals.