Chelsea are reportedly considering signing Man City’s Raheem Sterling, but how could he fit in with the Blues?

As Raheem Sterling’s contract comes to an end, the likelihood of him leaving Manchester City is increasing day by day. His next destination could be Chelsea as the Blues believe they can strike a deal, according to The Athletic. It’s the second summer in a row that Sterling’s future is up in the air. He was reportedly offered to Spurs as part of their quest for Harry Kane. This offer fell through due to a lack of Champions League football, which would not stand in the way of a possible deal with Chelsea. A deal with Chelsea would require an offer of around $73m, according to the following sources Sky Sports.

Sterling scored 17 goals and assisted nine more last season for the Premier League champions but has endured prolonged droughts with consistency an issue for the England international. Sterling has a complicated legacy at Manchester City. If he scored 131 goals in 339 appearances, the first thing that comes to mind are the goals he didn’t score, like the one against Lyon in the Champions League in 2020. Playing a game based on Speed ​​and beating the last man, Sterling can make chances look easier than they are for the average striker, but finishing has always been the part of his game that he lacks.

Between the Premier League and the Champions League, Sterling has scored 16 goals, which puts him third in the team behind Riyad Mahrez and Kevin de Bruyne. But his expected goalscoring output was 18.95, the best number for the team, due to his placement.

The Blues have a lot of work to do this summer as they… Romelu Lukaku at Inter Milan.and Sterling could be a centerpiece. They also need to sign an almost entirely new defense as Antonio Rudiger has sealed his transfer to Spain, while Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Marcos Alonso could follow.

What would Sterling’s arrival mean for Christian Pulisic?

Sterling has played on the entire attacking trio during his career, but the majority of his minutes have come on the left wing which was occupied by Christian Pulisic and Timo Werner last season. With the arrival of Todd Bohely in charge of the club, it seems unlikely that the American owners will seek to sell Pulisic, but signing Sterling would certainly bury him in the squad after a somewhat disappointing season, where he scored eight goals and assisted five more.

Injuries kept Pulisic out for 16 games last season, so manager Thomas Tuchel might think his best role is to change the game off the bench. It’s certainly not what Pulisic or United States men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter would want to hear ahead of the World Cup, but if Pulsic is healthy he will start on the left wing for the United States in Qatar. The hope seems to be that, alongside the transfer of Lukaku, Chelsea can also find a buyer for Timo Werner during the summer.

If Werner leaves, Sterling’s versatility could help him co-exist with Pulisic as he can switch to the right when needed, allowing Mason Mount to sit deeper. But if he’s still at Chelsea at the start of the season, minutes could be hard to come by as Tuchel rotates the squad depending on who’s hot at the time. Sterling is unlikely to move to Chelsea without the guarantee of meaningful playing time, which makes it much more difficult to determine the rest of the attack as the Blues are expected to search for a striker.

Why would Chelsea be looking to add Sterling?

This is where things are uncertain. While Chelsea need help in attack as they can’t get all the creative pressure on the wingers and the Mount, it looked like the front three had enough bodies available to perform. Hakim Zyiech, Lukaku, and Werner have uncertain futures, but Armando Broja is an option back from his loan spell at Southampton, and keeping Mount in attack is an option with Conor Gallagher returning from Crystal Palace.

With Chelsea looking to close the gap between third place and first, replacing three or four players with Sterling is a risky proposition, even if other deals are made. He’s good at creating his own chances with the ball at his feet and could be devastating with Reece James and Ben Chilwell, but it could also end as a slightly better situation from Werner. If Chelsea are looking to improve, Sterling doesn’t seem like the right target to turn their weakness into a strength… Robert Lewandowski does it.

Is this the right choice for Sterling?

If Sterling feels he needs a change of scenery instead of signing a new contract at City, he may be the best available option in the Premier League, but there doesn’t appear to be a suitable suitor. in England. Arsenal can’t give him the Champions League he wants, Spurs can’t give him the minutes he wants, and no player of value should go to Manchester United until there are no evidence that things are changing.

A move to La Liga would maximize Sterling’s strengths while allowing him to compete at the highest level. When Real Madrid missed out on Kylian Mbappé, a move for Sterling seemed like the logical next step, but there’s always a chance he enjoys life in England too much to risk things with a move to Los Blancos. But when it comes to playing time and the possibility of winning a Champions League title, all eyes should be on Madrid.