Chelsea are exploring every possible avenue to get Raheem Sterling off their wage bill before the winter transfer window closes on February 2.
According to Sky Sports chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol, Chelsea are also open to terminating Sterling’s contract if they can’t move him on before the winter transfer deadline.
The relationship between Sterling and the club is dead in the water, but the Englishman has been reluctant to walk away from his mouth-watering £325,000 per week contract.
Talks are ongoing between the club, the player and his representatives. While the details are still being kept under wraps, it’s obvious where talks are headed.
Sterling is not expected to remain a Chelsea player beyond the deadline. For several weeks now, the 31-year-old has been training away from the main first-team group.
He is currently the only member left in what has been described as Chelsea’s “bomb squad”, after defender Axel Disasi returned to regular training.
Despite returning to regular training, Chelsea are also desperate to offload Disasi, and the Frenchman is attracting interest from West Ham United.
Interestingly, the Hammers have also registered an interest in Sterling, who has entered the final 18 months of his Chelsea contract.
Chelsea have received loan interest in Sterling, but they want a permanent sale. The player has also made it clear that he doesn’t want another temporary move.
However, that’s easier said than done, given the player’s outrageous wages. Sterling is the highest earner at Chelsea, making it difficult for many clubs to match his current deal.
Ending the contract early is another option, though this would likely involve Chelsea paying out a large portion of the £22 million still owed to the player.
Last summer, Chelsea explored loan options with Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen, but Sterling rejected both.
One of the main reasons was his desire to stay in London and remain close to his family.
He may be open to joining the likes of West Ham and Fulham, but only if he’s ready to take a massive pay cut to make it happen.