Chelsea are preparing a bid for Raheem Sterling who Manchester City value at between £50million and £60m, according to the Telegraph.
The England international has a year left to run on his contract at the Etihad Stadium, and the former Liverpool man is interested in a move to Stamford Bridge, according to reports.
Despite being offered a new deal by Pep Guardiola’s side, the 27-year-old is considering his options and wants to be playing for a club that see him as a key player.
Sterling may have won a wealth of big trophies during his time working under the Spaniard, but there have been times where the forward has been left on the bench for big games.
He was on the bench for both of City’s games against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals last season.
And following the arrivals of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, Sterling would have to contend with further competition for places across City’s forward line if he stayed in Manchester.
Following Todd Boehly’s takeover at Stamford Bridge, Thomas Tuchel is going to be given significant funds to bolster his side.
With Romelu Lukaku Inter Milan-bound and uncertainty surrounding the futures of Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner, Sterling could well be attracted by the idea of being Tuchel’s main man in west London.
Sterling, who is capable of playing anywhere across the front line, has scored 109 goals and laid on 77 assists from 320 games for City, since joining from Liverpool, in a deal worth £49m in 2015.
If a move to Stamford Bridge does come to fruition, Sterling could join an illustrious group of players who have played for Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Players who have played for Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool
Daniel Sturridge
After coming through the Manchester City Academy, Sturridge would go on to make 32 appearances for the City first team, scoring six goals before joining Chelsea in July 2009.
The talented striker, who has been plagued with injuries throughout his career, struggled to nail down a starting place in the Chelsea side.
Sturridge played 96 times for Chelsea with his appearances coming under three different managers – Roberto Di Matteo, Carlo Ancelotti and Andre Villas Boas.
The bulk of his playing time at Stamford Bridge came via Villas Boas for whom he scored 11 goals from 30 appearances under.
The 26-time England international scored 24 times for Chelsea and he got his hands on the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.
Sturridge signed for Liverpool in January 2013 and finished the Premier League campaign with 10 goals in 14 games for the Reds.
The following year, alongside Luis Suarez, Sturridge produced the best season of his career as Liverpool got agonisingly close to winning the Premier League under Brendan Rodgers.
Sturridge scored 22 Premier League goals in 2013-14 campaign, only Suarez (31) scored more.
But that was Sturridge at the peak of his powers and ever since that season he’s been riddled with injury setbacks and an inability to prove his fitness.
The left-footed forward was used sparingly by Jurgen Klopp and after a brief loan spell at West Brom, Sturridge headed for Turkey with Trabzonspor where he scored seven goals from 15 games.
Sturridge’s most recent venture saw him join Australian A-League side Perth Glory, but after failing to score in six appearances, the 32-year-old is available on a free transfer after Perth opted against extending his contract.
Nicolas Anelka
Le Sulk, who won the Champions League with Real Madrid, was a jetsetter who played for several of Europe’s biggest clubs, but after spells with Arsenal and Real Madrid – the striker joined Liverpool on loan in January 2002 from Paris Saint Germain.
During his brief spell at Anfield, Anelka scored five goals from 22 games, but his performances didn’t convince the Liverpool hierarchy to sign him on a permanent deal.
Anelka did however return to the Premier League in the summer of 2002 with Manchester City signing him on a permanent deal from the Parisians.
Of all the clubs that Anelka played for during his career, it was with the Citizens where he produced his best goalscoring rate.
He scored 46 times from 103 games for City before moving to Turkish giants Fenerbahce.
Anelka spent 18 months in Turkey before returning back to England with Bolton Wanderers. The 2000 European Championship winner’s form with the Trotters caught Chelsea’s attention and he was snapped up in January 2008.
Anelka scored 59 times from 184 games for the Blues and he won the Premier League and two FA Cups, during his time in west London, as well as winning the 2008-09 Premier League Golden Boot with 19 goals.
After a four-year spell with Chelsea, the former France international moved to China with Shanghai Shenhua before finishing his career with stints at Juventus, West Brom and Mumbai City.
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