Outcast Chelsea Pair Drawing Interest From Serie A And Premier League Giants: Why They Must Sanction The Transfers | OneFootball

If the respective reports from Fichajes and Todo Fichajes are believed to be true, Chelsea have suitors for their outcast attacking pair Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk amid interest from Juventus and Manchester United.

Sterling, 30, has featured for four among the Premier League’s ‘big six’ after progressing through Alpha & Omega and Queens Park Rangers’ youth ranks. He was then roped in by Liverpool for whom he appeared 129 times following a brief academy stint. The Three Lions’ attacking ace then joined Manchester City where he conquered four league titles, five EFL Cups and one FA Cup before falling down the pecking order by the closure of the 2021-22 season.

Why Chelsea Should Welcome Offers For The Outcast Attackers

Although the Blues snapped up the winger for £47.5m making him the first men’s team signing of the Todd Boehly era, Sterling’s wastefulness and lack of impact high up the pitch eventually cost him his place under Enzo Maresca. The Italian made it clear that the Englishman does not belong to his plans thus resulting in a season-long loan to Arsenal last summer.

Despite injuries to Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinell, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, Mikel Arteta fancies him behind Leandro Trossard and 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri. The Spaniard has even deployed midfield ace Mikel Merino as a makeshift centre-forward, exhibiting his lack of belief in the on-loan Chelsea forward. The North Londoners are not expected to tie him down on permanent terms, but the interest from the Bianconeri could be the saving grace for both the club and the player’s camp.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 21: Mykhaylo Mudryk of Chelsea celebrates with teammates Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling after scoring the team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC at Stamford Bridge on October 21, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Mudryk, on the other hand, was one of Boehly’s high-profile signings following a transfer battle with the Gunners in January 2023. A fee of around £62m, potentially rising to £89m in add-ons, was paid to Shakhtar Donetsk to snap up the Ukrainian, but it has not worked out at all for the 24-year-old in English football with just five goals in 53 league outings. While Maresca was working towards getting the best of him this season, an FA suspension in December after testing positive for doping prevented him from participating in the game over the past three months.

Chelsea have loaned out out-of-favour Joao Felix to AC Milan and are relying on Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto and the emerging Tyrique George down the flanks. They would pay the Red Devils at least £20m for Sancho as per the obligation-to-buy clause in his loan deal, and Mudryk could now move in the opposite direction for as low as £33.5m in a separate transfer. It would be a significant financial loss for Boehly after splashing more than £100m to secure their services, yet those bids should be welcomed to recoup a chunk of their investment towards reconstructing the forward line.