Manchester City attacker Raheem Sterling must agree to a dramatic pay-cut if he's to join Barcelona in January.

Sport says Sterling has welcomed interest from Barca, which are keen to take the England international on-loan over the New Year.

Sterling is currently on €18m-a-year and would expect to join Barca with the two clubs splitting his wages 50-50. However, if Barca were to take on his €9m demands, it would leave no room in the wage budget to make further additions in January.

As such, Barca are pushing Sterling to accept a cut on his wages to join them.

It's been suggested the drop in earnings would be covered by bonuses included in a proposed permanent deal at season end.