Barcelona will not launch the offensive to sign 29-year-old England international Raheem Sterling from Chelsea this summer.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Raheem Sterling is not the subject of interest from Barcelona. The Catalan giants have had the opportunity to land the 29-year-old out-of-favour Chelsea forward after Enzo Maresca commented on his non-existent future at the West London club.
Raheem Sterling and his Chelsea woes
Raheem Sterling has seen his stock plummet since joining Chelsea from Manchester City in July 2022. The Englishman was one of the first signings under the new regime at the West London club and showed some promising signs in the last two seasons. However, he has not been as consistent or devastating as his Manchester City spell.
Once among the best players in the world, the 29-year-old is now a peripheral figure at the club level, as he does not feature in Enzo Maresca’s plans for the 2024/25 season. So, Sterling, who has turned out 81 times thus far for Chelsea while chipping in with 19 goals and 12 assists, has played his final game for the West London outfit.
The England international initially sought clarity on his future after Maresca excluded him from the matchday squad against Manchester City. Since then, the new Chelsea manager has asserted that Sterling does not feature in his plans. So, a summer departure is a matter of time for the former Manchester City attacker.
What next?
Barcelona can do with a player like Raheem Sterling despite his inconsistencies for Chelsea in the last two seasons. The Catalan giants are keen on bolstering their attack in the summer transfer window amid uncertainties surrounding the long-term future of Ferran Torres. However, with Nico Williams unlikely to leave Athletic Club and Rafael Leao too expensive, Barcelona must identify alternatives.
Sterling could have been a viable target for the Blaugrana. However, the Catalan giants have ruled out a late summer move for the 29-year-old out-of-favour Chelsea attacker. Meanwhile, a deal might not have materialised anyway, as the Englishman wants to remain in the Premier League after leaving Chelsea.
Meanwhile, Barcelona will likely pursue Federico Chiesa as a low-cost alternative to Williams and Leao. So, it will be interesting to see where Sterling lands amid uncertainties surrounding his future at Chelsea.
