Chelsea
and Manchester City are in advanced talks over a deal for Raheem Sterling,
with Thomas Tuchel determined to add the England winger to his attacking
options.
One source has told Sky Sports News an agreement between the two clubs over
a fee is "close", though another official has suggested this is an overly
optimistic view of the current negotiations.
Any deal between Chelsea and City would be dependent on Sterling agreeing
personal terms, and it's thought he would expect to outdo the salary he is
currently on at City, in keeping with his status as one of the biggest
attacking talents in the Premier League, in the prime of his career.
As previously reported, Sterling's relationship with Pep Guardiola and City
remains very positive, with the Premier League champions content to let the
27-year-old leave, even to a rival, so long as there an acceptable bid in
the region of £50m.
Sterling currently has only one year left on his existing contract at the
Etihad, with no plans for that to be extended.
He is keen on discussing a possible move back to London, where much of his
family is still based - he grew up in Neasden, just a few miles from
Wembley.
Sterling would offer Tuchel a guaranteed threat - he has directly
contributed a combined 165 goals in the division in 320 appearances for
Liverpool and City - as well as tactical flexibility and experience.
The 27-year-old believes he is in the decisive phase of his career and wants
to make a significant contribution on and off the pitch.
The fact that City can afford to lose two attackers to members of the 'Big
Six' - Gabriel Jesus to Arsenal for £45m and Sterling to Stamford Bridge -
without trepidation is a sign of their solid recruitment and the gap that
exists between the clubs.
Transfers between clubs at the top of the table are set to become more
common as European teams struggle to financially compete with their English
counterparts.
'Sterling a polarising target for Chelsea fans, but would help refresh
attack'
The Athletic's Liam Twomey on Sky Sports News:
"I think it's a transfer that, potentially, works well for all parties.
Sterling needs a change of scene; he has fallen out of favour at Manchester
City, has a year left on his contract and there doesn't seem to be much of a
market for him outside of Chelsea.
"I think a lot of the big Premier League clubs are experiencing this at the
moment where it is easier for them to sell to each other, potentially, than
to anyone else, given the finances involved. And Chelsea need a way to
refresh their attacking options, particularly after letting Romelu Lukaku go
back to Inter on loan.
"I think the new owners want to make a statement as well and while Raheem
Sterling might not be the most exotic or exciting name to some Chelsea fans,
he is Premier League proven, 27 years old, a key England international. He
would clearly be a quality addition.
"I think Sterling is a little bit of a polarising target among Chelsea fans
and I think part of that is just because he is so familiar. We know his
flaws as a player so well, as well as his strengths, as we've been watching
him forever in the Premier League and I think that feeds into the way a lot
of Chelsea fans see him. But there is no denying he has been a very
effective player in top teams in this league for a long, long time, so I
think he'd be a very reliable performer.
"We are also seeing an increased willingness from Chelsea to look at Premier
League proven targets. They have been burned in the last couple of years by
signing players from other leagues who have maybe needed time to adapt or,
in some cases, not really adapted at all and not been maximised in the team.
"Someone like Sterling who has already produced at a high level in the
Premier League for many years, you can see why that would be attractive to
Chelsea and, for Boehly, he's a big name. And at 27, he's someone you could
still expect to be productive for several more years."
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