Leeds United are reportedly on high alert as they make plans to sign Chelsea outcast Raheem Sterling in January. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace are also in the running. Under Enzo Maresca, the 30-year-old England international has been left out at Stamford Bridge. He is being considered as a possible high-profile attacking addition to Daniel Farke’s team.
According to emerging reports, Leeds and Palace are getting ready to fight for Sterling. Leeds are interested because they need to add more cutting edge to their attack, as no player in the league has scored more than two goals this season.
He hasn’t played for Chelsea since May of last year and has been told he won’t be in the first team again, even though he is under contract until 2027.
Sterling’s time at Chelsea has gotten worse over the past 18 months. After a bad loan spell at Arsenal, he is now training away from the main group and is basically part of a “bomb squad” of unwanted senior players.
Reports say that the Professional Footballers’ Association has been keeping an eye on his treatment, but since there is no way back into Maresca’s plans, it looks like he will leave in the winter.
Leeds Will Hope Chelsea Pay Part of Sterling’s Wages
Any move for Sterling to Elland Road would almost certainly have to be a loan because the club’s Profit and Sustainability rules don’t allow it. This would depend on Chelsea being willing to pay a large part of his salary. That would be in line with earlier reports that the Blues are willing to pay more than half of his reported £300,000-per-week salary to get him off the books.
Farke has always said that top-flight experience is very important for a newly promoted team trying to stay in the league. Notably, Sterling has 123 goals in 396 Premier League games and 82 caps for England.
The former Manchester City forward is thought to like Palace’s London base and how close it is to his family, but Leeds hopes that the promise of regular starts and a key role in their fight for survival could still convince him to go to Elland Road.