After reaching a personal agreement with the London club, Raheem Sterling has moved a step closer to a permanent move to Chelsea. According to numerous sources, a transfer fee has not yet been decided, but the Manchester City forward is interested in playing for Stamford Bridge. The 27-year-old, whose contract only has one year left, would be Todd Boehly’s first significant acquisition as Chelsea’s owner.
Chelsea are understood to be confident of reaching an agreement for Sterling, who is set to be available for a cut-price fee with 12 months left on his current deal. Striker Gabriel Jesus was also in the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium and eventually joined Arsenal in a £45 million ($55m) deal. Sterling is understood to have spoken to Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel and wants to play for the German, who led his side to victory over City in the 2021 Champions League.
Signed from Liverpool in a £49m deal in 2015, Sterling has made 337 appearances for City and scored 131 goals. But with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year, the England international is understood to want more game time after slipping down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola. Aston Villa’s triumph on the final day of the season and both legs of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid were won without him in the starting lineup. The competition for starting positions will likely get even more fierce with the addition of new recruits Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez as well as the form of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, and Riyad Mahrez. Cole Palmer and other young players could further muddy the picture.