Chelsea want £60m Raheem Sterling transfer but Man City star wants assurances he will not rot on Thomas Tuchel’s bench
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CHELSEA want Raheem Sterling — but they need to prove they will match his ambitions.
The Manchester City star, 27, has been identified as a marquee signing for Chelsea’s new owners after their £4.25billion takeover.
Sterling is entering the final 12 months of his contract and is open to all options — but wants to play regularly in the countdown to the winter World Cup.
The winger does not want to sit on the bench and is eager to still be competing for trophies, if he is to leave champions City.
Despite starting 32 games in all competitions last term he was left out of both legs of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid and the decisive last game of the season against Aston Villa.
The imminent arrival of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez will make competition for forward places even tougher.
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The Blues’ new American owners reckon a move for Sterling would be a statement signing after months of turmoil.
Even though he is about to kick off the final year of his contract Sterling would still command a fee of around £60million.
He has put all thoughts of his plans at club level on hold while on Nations League duty with England.
But demands for a regular first team spot is the biggest driver of any negotiations.
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City spent a record £100m on Jack Grealish last summer but even he has found it tough nailing down a place each week.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is free to start raiding the transfer market after Government-imposed sanctions were lifted following the departure of Roman Abramovich last month.
Tuchel is expected to have a kitty of around £200m to spend but overall turnover could be higher if he can also move some players on.
Chelsea are blessed with attacking wingers but Hakim Ziyech could be sold to raise extra funds.