Cole Palmer shows exactly why Raheem Sterling needs to be Man City's next contract priority

While Manchester City only completed one signing during the January transfer window - and that's one more than they usually do during the mid-season window - Pep Guardiola and his team have been busy securing the futures of their current and future stars.

On February 1 Joao Cancelo signed a new five-year contract, before promising young talent James McAtee followed suit a day later by signing a deal to keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2026.

Over the past 12 months a number of City's key players have penned new deals, including Kevin De Bruyne, Ruben Dias and John Stones. There is now talk that Bernardo Silva - a player who looked likely to leave the club last summer - will extend his stay, with new offers for Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan in the works too.

One player whose contract situation is still up in the air is Raheem Sterling. After a torrid start to the campaign - a continuation of his poor form in the second half of last season - the England star looked set to leave City, with Barcelona rumoured to be the most likely destination.

Yet around mid-November there was a shift, and for the past two months Sterling has been back to his brilliant best. His return to form coincided with City's remarkable 12-game winning streak in the Premier League, a run that has helped them to establish a healthy lead at the top of the table.

The 27-year-old's on-field performances have prompted speculation that he could yet stay at City beyond the expiration of his current contract next year, but as City's next young prodigy Cole Palmer has revealed, the reasons why City should keep Sterling around extend way beyond matchdays.

Like so many elite-level footballers, Palmer has found himself under the bright lights and television cameras