Bayer Leverkusen eyeing move to sign Chelsea forward | OneFootball

Sterling Faces New Exit Talks as Chelsea Reset Continues

Leverkusen register interest in loan deal

The latest development in Chelsea’s ever-evolving reshuffle sees Bayer Leverkusen exploring a potential loan move for Raheem Sterling. As reported by Caught Offside, the Bundesliga side have expressed interest, though any deal would depend on Chelsea subsidising a significant portion of Sterling’s wages.

Photo: IMAGO

Juventus have also been linked, but neither club appear prepared to match Chelsea’s €25 million asking price or take on the full financial burden of the player’s contract. “Leverkusen would only be willing to sign Sterling on loan, with a portion of his wages still to be paid by Chelsea,” the report states.

Sterling slides down pecking order

The former Manchester City forward looks increasingly surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have already signed Jamie Gittens and agreed terms with Xavi Simons, alongside other attacking options such as Pedro Neto and Liam Delap. With Noni Madueke already out the door, Sterling may be next.

Photo IMAGO

His failed loan spell at Arsenal last season, where he played a minor role and made little impact, has only complicated matters. Though once a marquee signing, Sterling’s influence has dwindled.

Market value at odds with output

There remains a gap between perception and performance. “Sterling perhaps seems like he should be heading to Saudi Arabia or the MLS at this stage of his career,” notes the piece, but European clubs remain intrigued by the winger’s pedigree, even as his recent form offers little reassurance.

Photo IMAGO

A player once revered for electric movement and clinical edge now finds himself navigating a shrinking list of suitors.

Future uncertain amid Chelsea overhaul

Chelsea’s priority is clear: streamline a bloated wage bill and reposition the squad around younger, more dynamic profiles. Whether Sterling departs permanently or on loan, his exit now feels like an inevitability.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

For Chelsea supporters, this proposed move carries the faint hum of closure. Sterling was supposed to be the experienced head, the steady hand, the one to lead a young and chaotic squad forward. Instead, his spell at Stamford Bridge has been largely forgettable.

The idea that Bayer Leverkusen or Juventus might offer a lifeline is more about reputation than recent form. Fans watching closely know he has struggled to impose himself in a Chelsea shirt, and his stint at Arsenal last season only further highlighted his regression. Still, there is a tinge of sympathy. Sterling arrived with expectations that were perhaps unrealistic for a player already on the wane.

If Chelsea can move him on, even on loan, it clears a path for younger talents to step forward. Gittens, Simons, and Delap these are the players the club should be backing now.

But the deal has to be pragmatic. The club cannot afford another situation where they continue to shoulder wages for a player not contributing meaningfully. If Leverkusen want him, there needs to be genuine financial compromise.

Ultimately, this is a necessary transition. Sterling’s time at Chelsea may not have lived up to the billing, but his departure is a logical next step in the club’s evolving blueprint.