“He can only join if stealing leaves” – £25m forward will most likely join Chelsea if Sterling leaves
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!A “quality” forward is likely to join Chelsea if high-earner Raheem Sterling departs from Stamford Bridge this summer. With Enzo Maresca’s plans for Sterling currently unclear, his future at the club is in question.
Sterling Linked with High-Profile Exit After Two Years at Chelsea
Sterling, signed from Manchester City for around £50 million in the summer of 2022, has made 81 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, scoring 19 goals and providing 12 assists. Despite his contributions, Sterling has not been selected for the England national team since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He featured frequently under Mauricio Pochettino but found himself on the bench more often towards the end of the 2023/2024 season.
Some reports suggest that Sterling feels he may need to leave Chelsea to regain his place in the England squad. Potential new arrivals at Chelsea could further limit his playing time.
Sterling was reportedly considered as a makeweight in Chelsea’s discussions for Michael Olise, but Olise opted to join Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich. Despite this, co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley are still prioritizing the signing of a winger.
Potential Replacement: Karim Adeyemi
Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi is reportedly a key target for Chelsea. Adeyemi, who contributed seven goals in 34 appearances under ex-Dortmund boss Edin Terzic last term, could replace Sterling if he leaves the club. According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are prepared to offer Adeyemi a seven-year contract and could bid for him. Another update from the same outlet suggests that Adeyemi is likely to join Chelsea if Sterling departs, with a potential transfer fee of just £25 million.
Given his age and contributions at the club level, Adeyemi represents good value for money in the current market. Terzic praised Adeyemi during his time at Dortmund, highlighting his acceleration and ability to change the game.
“This is the quality of Karim,” said Terzic. “It was a corner kick and we defended it quite well. It was a dangerous situation but then when you see his acceleration, and this is something we showed him at half-time as well. And this is what he did. His first touch was there to accelerate the game. If you are quick like this then it is going to be very tough for every defense to defend against him. It was a great goal and it was very important as it was the winning goal. I hope that he can continue to perform like this.”
In summary, Chelsea are likely to pursue a quality forward like Karim Adeyemi if Raheem Sterling leaves this summer. Adeyemi’s potential move to Chelsea could provide the club with a young, talented replacement capable of making significant contributions on the pitch.
