Chelsea are close to sealing a deal for Man City star Raheem Sterling.
City have already sold Gabriel Jesus to Arsenal, and Sterling is expected to make the move to Chelsea.
Last season, Sterling scored 13 goals with five assists, averaging a goal involvement every 118 minutes.
Sterling has proven to be one of City’s main men since he joined the club from Liverpool seven years ago.
Since the appointment of Pep Guardiola at the start of the 2016/17 season, no player has made more Premier League appearances for City than Sterling’s 194. Also, no City player has scored more than his 85 goals.
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson is backing the deal for Raheem Sterling, and he believes the England international will be a great signing for Chelsea.
He wrote in a column for Sky Sports: “I think Sterling would be a great signing. I would worry about Man City selling Sterling as you’re selling a lot of goals. People always go to me, ‘He’s always at the far post tapping them in’.
“He’s not pushing anybody out the way to tap those goals in. There’s an art to what he does and he will be a massive miss to Man City next season if he leaves.
“I think if Chelsea went and got him, I think that would be a major signing, especially when you’re getting a top-quality international footballer who is at one of the top teams in the world.”
City have signed Erlin Haaland, and Julian Alvarez is also joining from River Plate. The pair have been seen as the replacements for the departed Gabriel Jesus and soon to leave Raheem Sterling.
Sterling earned the praise of Pep Guardiola some months ago, after a spectacular performance, and even Pep himself knows he’d be missing a special player.
Speaking in February after the winger scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Norwich, Guardiola said: “I have known Raheem for six seasons. I know him perfectly well. This season he was outstanding in goals and assists and his contribution to the team.
“During that period there are highs and lows. It’s part of life. Teams are not honeymoons. There are problems and we have to solve them.
“Nobody doubts how important he is. He is showing that. What I want is for all the players to play well.
“If we count the amount of games he played since we are together, it is a lot. He was a key player. In the future? I don’t know what will happen. The club decides.
“When the club extends contracts, I give my opinion, but the club takes the decision, always.”
