Chelsea are exploring every possible avenue to get Raheem Sterling off their wage bill before the winter transfer window closes on February 2.
According to Sky Sports chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol, Chelsea are open to terminating Sterling’s contract if they can’t move him on before the winter transfer deadline.
The relationship between Sterling and the club is dead in the water, but he has been reluctant to walk away from his £325,000 per week contract.
Talks are ongoing between the club, the player and his representatives. While the details are still being kept under wraps, it’s obvious where talks are heading.
Sterling is not expected to remain a Chelsea player beyond the deadline. Thee 31-year-old has been training away from the main first-team group.
He is currently the only member left in what has been described as Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’, after defender Axel Disasi returned to training.
Chelsea are still desperate to offload Disasi, who has been linked with West Ham United.
The Hammers have also registered an interest in Sterling, who has entered the final 18 months of his Chelsea contract.
Chelsea have received loan interest in Sterling, but they want a permanent sale. The player has also made it clear that he doesn’t want another temporary move.
However, that’s easier said than done, given his outrageous wages. Sterling is the highest earner at Chelsea, making it difficult for many clubs to match his current deal.
Ending the contract early is another option, but this would involve Chelsea paying out a large portion of the £22 million still owed to the player.
Chelsea explored loan options with Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen last summer, but Sterling rejected both. He wants to stay in London and remain close to his family.
He may be open to joining West Ham and Fulham, but will need to take a massive pay cut to make it happen.
