Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta doesn’t believe that Raheem Sterling has done enough to be afforded legendary status, despite spending seven years at the Etihad.

The 27-year-old completed a £47.5m move to Chelsea last week, and when asked about how he will be remembered by his former club, Zabaleta said he does not deserve to be placed in the same bracket as Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva:

“For me, when I think of legends I say Aguero, Kompany, Silva. Those guys are on a different level, that’s why they have a statue outside of the club. Raheem has been great so we wish him of course all the best he went to a team that obviously that is a big contender for the Premier League.”

“I just wish him all the best he’s a great lad but for Man City always the most important thing for the fans are the players and when you come to this club you to give 100%. And the moment you leave you need to talk nicely to the club you’ve been playing for and I wish he could behave in that way.”

While Sterling’s goal record at City was excellent (he racked up 131 goals in 339 appearances), it is fair to say he wasn’t universally loved among supporters.

Frustrations about his lack of consistency, despite his goal return, mean fans won’t remember him as fondly as other players. As Zabaleta points out, leaving for a Premier League rival will certainly not help matters.

Although Sterling may not go down as a legend, he still played a vital role in City’s recent success, winning an impressive 11 trophies during his time with the team.