- 7 hours ago
Raheem Sterling's dream next club revealed after Chelsea statement
Cameron Smith
- 19 Aug 2024 11:00 BST
- 4 min read
Raheem Sterling’s future at Chelsea is extremely uncertain following his omission from Enzo Maresca’s first competitive squad as Blues boss.
The Italian didn’t select Sterling in his 20-man matchday squad to face Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, with Christopher Nkunku, Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Pedro Neto, Mykhailo Mudryk and Marc Guiu chosen instead.
In response to his exclusion, Sterling’s camp released the following statement to The Daily Mail: “Raheem Sterling is contracted to Chelsea for the next three years.
READ MORE: Premier League summer transfers 2024 - All the Done Deals
“He returned to England two weeks early to conduct individual training, and has had a positive pre-season under the new coach, who he has developed a good working relationship with.
“He is committed, as ever, to delivering at the highest level for Chelsea FC and the fans, who he holds in high regard, and given his inclusion in official club pre-match material this week, our expectation was that Raheem would be involved in this weekend’s fixture in some capacity.
“As a camp, we have always had positive dialogue with, and assurance from, Chelsea FC in relation to Raheem’s future at the club, so we look forward to gaining clarity on the situation.
READ MORE: Sterling slammed for ‘absolutely rubbish’ Chelsea statement
“Until then, we will continue to support Raheem’s desire to start the new season positively.”
With Joao Felix set to arrive from Atletico Madrid and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen still a target, Sterling looks increasingly likely to leave Chelsea before the summer transfer window ends.
The Blues reportedly failed with a swap deal attempt to send the ex-England international to Juventus and receive Federico Chiesa in return, but the Old Lady remain interested in signing Sterling.
Meanwhile, Saudi Pro League clubs have been tentatively linked with a move over the past 12 months.
However, the ideal next club for Sterling is Barcelona.
Why Raheem Sterling should join Barcelona
The Blaugrana are actively pursuing a new left winger and Sterling certainly ticks that box, while he has years of experience at the top level.
Furthermore, data analytics experts SciSports believe that Barcelona would be a superb fit for the Chelsea man.
The Spanish giants have a ‘Club Fit’ score of 80, which is only bettered by El Clasico rivals Real Madrid (84). However, with the plethora of attacking options already at Carlo Ancelotti’s disposal, a move to the Santiago Bernabeu is impossible this summer.
It’s a different story with Barcelona, though.
Current ETV
Raheem Sterling
M (L), AM (R)
Chelsea
Raheem Sterling
M (L), AM (R)
Chelsea
ETV Range
€39.1M - €65.1M
The Blaugrana have missed out on top target Nico Williams, who will remain at Athletic Club until at least 2025, and new signing Dani Olmo isn’t suited to playing out wide.
As a result, Ferran Torres is the only senior left winger in Hansi Flick’s squad and the Spaniard isn’t even a traditional wideman, with his skillset perfect for a false nine role.
Therefore, signing Sterling would be a sensible idea and it would suit all parties involved.
Sterling would secure a move to a historic club and guarantee significant game time, Barcelona would solve a problem position in their squad, and Chelsea would offload an unwanted player and save millions in wages.
