The end is nigh for Raheem Sterling at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea and the forward himself consider their options heading towards deadline day. Sterling found himself front and centre on Sunday afternoon despite him not even playing against former club Manchester City.
Sterling, 29, was omitted from Chelsea’s matchday squad by head coach Enzo Maresca and that eye-catching call prompted his representatives to react with a pre-match statement. Maresca has since publicly shared his take and it looks as though the England star will move on.
That’s barring a shock U-turn, anyway. Sterling has even had the No.7 shirt snatched away from him – with summer signing Pedro Neto stepping in – as football.london considers five options on the table for Sterling and assesses how likely each proposal seems;
Swap deal with United for Sancho?
Manchester United want to sell Jadon Sancho and Chelsea want to sell Sterling. Could that prompt a swap deal to be struck up between two Premier League sides who have an open dialling line?
Sancho to Chelsea might make (some) sense, even though the Blues have splashed the cash yet again this summer. Sterling going potentially leaves them with a gap to fill on the left-hand side.
United, meanwhile, are well-stocked in that position, hence their attempt to sell Sancho in the first place. Stranger things have happened – not least at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford – but United does not seem to be the best fit for Sterling with his connections to neighbours Manchester City and United not particularly in the market.
A fresh start abroad for Sterling?
Sterling is by no means over the hill but, at 29, the forward has played a whole heap of top-level football. He might alert big-money interest from Saudi Arabia between now and the August 30 deadline but that’s, seemingly, not the only option for him beyond the Premier League stage.
Barcelona, Juventus and PSG have been mooted as potential destinations. At this stage in his career, a jaunt over to Europe makes more sense than a lucrative ticket to the Gulf state.
Villa come calling with UCL chance?
Reports from The Mirror claim Chelsea have offered Sterling to Aston Villa as the dust continues to settle on the statement his representatives made. No would-be fee is mentioned in that article, but the Blues spent £47.5million on Sterling when they signed him from City in 2022.
In keeping with the above, 82-cap international Sterling is said to be keen on winning back his England place. With that in mind, the opportunity for Premier League and Champions League football would keep him in the public eye and, more importantly, on a level playing field with many of his competitors.
Hall repeat deal with Newcastle?
Despite lingering PSR caution, Newcastle have big ambitions under PIF ownership. Chelsea have worked alongside the Magpies this summer, too, to complete a transfer for defender Lewis Hall.
He joined Newcastle on loan last summer in an agreement that included a £28million obligation to buy. Given time restraints before 11pm on Friday, August 30, night, a repeat could be just the ticket for all parties.
Newcastle need to strengthen and Chelsea want to get rid. Settling on a valuation might be the toughest part as a loan-first option would help to speed the process along.
No way out to push Maresca U-turn?
Although financial terms come into play, Sterling should have no shortage of takers for his signature, but would it be beyond the realms for him to stay put? If that does prove to be the case, Maresca has made it pretty clear that he will not get anywhere near the minutes he would want – if any at all.