Raheem Sterling can reportedly land a six-figure bonus from Manchester City bosses if he ever wins the Ballon d’Or award.
It’s understood the on-fire England winger was promised the incentive as part of the new £300,000-per-week deal he signed before Christmas.
There is a growing call for the 24-year-old to be nominated for global recognition after his sensational form in which he has helped Pep Guardiola’s team remain in contention for an historic quadruple of trophies this season.
Sterling followed up his weekend hat-trick against Watford with another goal in the Citizens’ 7-0 Champions League rout of German side Schalke, which booked their place in the last eight of the competition.
The former Liverpool player scored 23 goals and created 14 assists last season, which convinced his club to offer Sterling the lucrative Ballon d’Or clause.
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Sterling has 19 goals and 13 assists so far this campaign, with the likes of TV pundits Rio Ferdinand and Gary Lineker joining the call for him to be recognised as one the best players in the world during the last 12 months.
City paid Liverpool £49million to acquire Sterling in 2015 and consider his value on the open market to be now worth treble that figure, which has further delighted the execs at the Etihad.
