Raheem Sterling set for £300k-a-week contract at Manchester City to make him Premier League’s highest paid player

MANCHESTER CITY are ready to smash the £300,000-a-week barrier to make Raheem Sterling the Premier League’s top-paid player.

Pep Guardiola’s leaders want to reward the England ace after his amazing form this season.

Talks will confirm him as one of Europe’s top talents — with wages just one tier down from megastars Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Sterling, 22, is likely to top Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, who is on £290,000 a per week.

Pogba’s team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic was on more before his injury meant new terms with a fresh deal for this season.

Sterling has two full seasons left on his current deal and City want his future tied to the club.

A new contract was likely at the end of the current campaign but City will accelerate talks as Sterling has made amazing progress under Guardiola.

His last-gasp winner against Southampton in midweek was his 13th of the campaign, beating last season’s total already.

Sterling was reported to be on £180,000 a week when he arrived from Liverpool in July 2015.

He has fought back after being targeted by England fans at Euro 2016 when he branded himself the “Hated One”.

Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate said: “Certainly Raheem has resilience.”