West Ham are considering whether to make a move for Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling, according to reports.
The Blues are hoping to offload the England international before the end of the transfer window. He is not part of Enzo Maresca’s plans, having spent last season out on loan at Arsenal.
Sterling is currently training away from the first-team squad in anticipation of his potential departure, and talkSPORT claim the Hammers are keeping an eye on his situation ahead of a “surprise” approach.
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Graham Potter’s side are not the only team keen on recruiting the 30-year-old, with the likes of Fulham, Crystal Palace and Juventus also in the mix.
Sterling has a preferred destination
TalkSPORT report that the Chelsea star is not keen on leaving London and his “preference” would be to remain in the capital if possible.
That means a transfer to Juventus is unlikely, but it doesn’t necessarily narrow down the competition that West Ham will face for Sterling’s signature.
A lot still depends on who can agree personal terms with the player. The forward is earning an eyewatering £325,000 a week, so he would need to agree to a massive pay cut if he were to complete a move to the London Stadium this summer.
West Ham are looking at other options
Sterling is by no means the only winger who has been linked with a switch to the Irons in recent days. Reports suggest that they are interested in signing Liverpool’s Ben Doak, along with Wolves.
The Scotland international would demand a much lower salary, but he is considerably less experienced and there is a chance that he would cost more to sign.
Sterling’s asking price is said to be £20m, while Liverpool rejected similar offers for Doak during the January transfer window.
In other news, West Ham are interested in signing a World Cup winner