Raheem Sterling touted for stunning Man Utd switch but two more likely moves named by trusted source | OneFootball

Raheem Sterling is still in his ‘prime’ despite being frozen out by Chelsea and ‘could play’ for Manchester United, a pundit has claimed – but a more credible source has named the two clubs more likely to be in the race for him.

Sterling hasn’t played for Chelsea this season after they decided he wasn’t part of their project anymore following his loan spell at Arsenal. It has been a serious fall from grace for someone who used to be an England regular and has spent his whole club career among the elite, with Liverpool and Manchester City being his only former clubs at senior level before Chelsea.

Still under contract with Chelsea until 2027, Sterling has some lost time to make up for and will need to get out of the club sooner rather than later – with the January transfer window his next opportunity to do so.

It’s been a good while since fans last saw the best of Sterling, but he has been boldly put forward for a Manchester United transfer by talkSPORT pundit Dean Saunders.

Saunders said: “He’s 31, he should be at the height of his powers, at the height of his career. That’s when you’re at your prime.

“He’s training on his own at Chelsea, is he? I don’t even know where he is now. He went to Arsenal and didn’t play many games, which is fair enough with the players they’ve got.

“But if I were a club now, any team in the Premier League, I would sign Raheem Sterling.

“If you haven’t got to pay a fee for him, and you can get his wages sort of halved or whatever, or they pay most of his wages to give you a really good deal, he is definitely good enough to play in the Premier League.”

The former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker continued: “If you’re looking to strengthen your team, I mean, he could play anywhere, couldn’t he? He could play for Man Utd.

“When he’s at his peak, he could get in Liverpool’s team, obviously, he played for them.

“But I would say Man Utd, Spurs, he could get in any of the teams that are just below the top, trying to win the league.

“The teams that are trying to win the league, he could get in their squads.”

Raheem Sterling reality as two ‘only realistic’ options named

Once upon a time, that may have been true, but the reality looks different for Sterling ahead of January.

First of all, the player himself would prefer to stay in London. Besides, he needs to prove himself at the top level again, if he ever gets the chance.

That’s not to say he isn’t good enough to play in the Premier League whatsoever, since he can still aspire to mid-table level. But that’s where he’s more likely to find interest, if willing to reduce his wages.

Dean Jones recently revealed for TEAMtalk: “Fulham looked at signing him in the summer but hesitated and then backed away, so I’m not sure that will be on the table again.

“He wants to remain in London and Crystal Palace could be a plausible option as they are very much in the market for a winger. The lack of action doesn’t really help him though and Palace would likely see him as more of a back up plan than an actual target.”

In his most recent update for Tribal Football, Jones has added that Fulham and Palace ‘are being informed of the conditions of any deal’.

However, ‘both clubs are more committed to finding younger players’ on the wings. Nevertheless, they stand out as ‘his only realistic’ options in the Premier League – and a move abroad will only be considered if it’s over a long contract.

Man Utd transfers more likely to happen

As for what business Man Utd might actually embark on in January, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed they have received an official offer from Roma for Joshua Zirkzee.