Chelsea are reportedly preparing a new offer for Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling after the Citizens rejected their €25 million opening bid.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are stepping up their efforts to sign Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling in a sensational move this summer and are ready to push again for the England superstar, with a new bid expected to arrive from the Blues.
The Londoners had their initial proposal rejected by Manchester City, who are holding out for around €55 million to let go of the 27-year-old English international. Thomas Tuchel is keen to lure Sterling away from the Etihad this summer, but any move, though, hinges on Chelsea’s ability to offload Romelu Lukaku, who is expected to return to Inter Milan.
Sterling has been a revelation since breaking onto the scene at Liverpool as a 17-year-old sensation. But since his controversial move to Manchester City, Sterling has polished his end product and established himself as a capable goal-scorer, particularly under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage.
He has, undoubtedly, enjoyed an illustrious seven years at the Etihad and has won every major domestic trophy. He recently helped Manchester City win the Premier League title yet again, making 47 appearances in all competitions and netting 17 goals last term. However, Sterling has struggled to remain a regular starter under Guardiola since the £100 million capture of Jack Grealish last summer.
With Sterling entering the final year of his contract at the Etihad, and with Manchester City already signing Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez City, Sterling could be available for the right price this summer in order to avoid a situation where he walks away on a free transfer at the end of next season.
The English international was expected to move abroad and was understood to be keen to test himself in another of Europe’s top five leagues, with Barcelona, PSG, and Real Madrid, among others, reportedly interested in him. But Chelsea have emerged as front-runners to sign the 27-year-old, as they are eyeing him as the statement signing of the summer following their recent takeover.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is keen to bolster his misfiring attack, and the Blues plan to push into third gear in the transfer window once Romelu Lukaku’s loan to Inter has been completed. To that end, Sterling, who has scored 131 goals in 339 competitive outings for Manchester City, is high on Chelsea’s list of targets.
Chelsea’s push for Sterling has further been bolstered by talks with the representatives of Ousmane Dembele in the background being put on hold for the time being. Chelsea are rethinking their stance on the Barcelona man owing to his poor injury record and view Sterling as a better alternative.
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Manchester City, on the other hand, will not let one of their prized assets leave on the cheap, with the reigning champions expected to demand around €55 million to sell him. While Chelsea are unlikely to match that steep price tag, the Blues’ hierarchy are increasingly confident that they can find a middle ground in transfer negotiations and secure a high-profile switch for the England star.
