n Raheem Sterling† Chelsea draw a leader, a devastating attacker who gives both goals and assists, and a player who will transform their attack.
They also ensure that one of the best English players of his generation enters his prime and someone with a burning desire to make them champions again†
Sterling nears stunning £55m move from Manchester City to become the first tent signing under new ownership at Stamford Bridge.
He is expected to become the highest paid player at Chelsea after receiving a small raise on his £300,000 a week wage at City, but his decision to leave the Premier League champions is driven by personal ambition.
Sterling returns to London 12 years after leaving QPR for Liverpool at age 15. He wants to win the Champions League and help Chelsea back to the top of English football.
Raheem Sterling becomes Chelsea’s first major signing of the Todd Boehly era
† Getty Images/Evening StandardThe 27-year-old believes this move could be the defining moment of his career. He wants to compete for the Ballon d’Or and was determined to find the right club to fulfill his ambitions.
Sterling also attracted interest from Real Madrid. City wanted him to stay, but Chelsea’s strong desire to sign him decided to find his next destination.
He wants to be seen as a protagonist and was impressed by conversations with Thomas Tuchel about the role the Chelsea manager envisions for him at Stamford Bridge.
The England international would like to be a regular base player for the World Cup in Qatar this winter and knows that he will play football at Chelsea more often.
At City, Sterling was just one of many top strikers on a frontline of superstars including Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and now Erling Haaland.
He has been in and out of the City side for the past 18 months, but at Chelsea there is a chance for him to become the undisputed talisman of the team.
Sterling is a leader on and off the pitch and could have a transformative effect on Tuchel .’s squad
Since Eden Hazard in 2018-19, no Chelsea player has scored more than 20 goals in all competitions in a season. Sterling has averaged 22 goals in all competitions over the past five seasons with City and scored 17 times last season (two more than Romelu Lukaku, who was one of only three Chelsea players to reach double digits).
Tuchel wants an attacker who can play football intensively, who is willing to work for the team and who can press. Many of those ideals were foreign to Lukaku last season, but will be second nature to a player used to playing under Pep Guardiola.
Sterling brings tactical awareness of the highest level, learned under Guardiola and Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool. Tuchel was drawn to his profile as an attacker who can dribble, move players out of position and produce intelligent moves as part of an overall offensive unit.
Chelsea won the Champions League in 2021 by “being terrible to play against”, a mantra that characterized their first six months under Tuchel.
Numerous issues, including the change of ownership, distracted Chelsea last season. Tuchel needs few egos and a harmonious dressing room to return to that style of play.
Sterling is a leader on and off the pitch and could have a transformative effect on Tuchel’s side. He has spent a lot of time mentoring young players at City and England, including Cole Palmer.
The potential benefits his arrival could bring over Mason Mount, Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi only add to the excitement of one of the biggest transfers the Premier League has seen in recent years.