Raheem Sterling has limited options for his next club. The Chelsea player struggled during his loan spell at Arsenal last season, but there may be light at the end of the tunnel – he could finally end his nightmare at Chelsea, as three Premier League clubs are vying for his services.
Sterling has had a tough few years at Chelsea, with Enzo Maresca telling him he has no future at Stamford Bridge. Last season, he joined Arsenal on loan for a year but scored just one goal in 28 games across all competitions. Now 30, Sterling is back in west London but is eager to find a new opportunity.
For the former Manchester City player, staying in the Premier League could actually be possible as he aims to find a new club. London rivals Fulham have emerged as potential suitors, while Crystal Palace are also keen.
It's reported that former Chelsea manager Graham Potter is also interested in bringing him to West Ham United ahead of the new season. Sterling is clearly keen to stay in London after moving his family to the capital.
But a stumbling block could be Sterling's eye-watering weekly wage package of around £325,000 at Stamford Bridge. Serie A champions Napoli were previously linked with him but dropped their interest for financial reasons.
Earlier this year, Sterling hinted in an interview that he wouldn't rule out a move abroad. He said: "If there's an opportunity to go somewhere else, (for more game time), I'd be open to that at this point.
"As I said, football is the most important thing to me – it's a challenge I set myself from a young age, and it's a dream to play abroad too."
The new interest in Sterling comes as his current club Chelsea take a brutal step: the Blues have completely axed the winger from the club's website, with no photo or profile of him in the first-team section.
He is one of nine stars excluded. Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu are also absent, though both are set to complete permanent moves to newly-promoted Burnley.
Ben Chilwell, Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga, Carney Chukwuemeka, David Datro Fofana and Alfie Gilchrist are also notably missing, with all expected to leave Stamford Bridge permanently in the coming months.
Sterling has two years left on his Chelsea contract, signed from Manchester City in 2022 for £47.5 million. He has since made 81 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 19 goals.
