Raheem Sterling has identified Fulham as his preferred destination if he were to leave Chelsea this window in what would be his third London club in the space of a year.
His wish to stay in the capital isn’t for footballing prospects, but rather due to a reluctance to relocate his family from their West London home.
Sterling has been of interest to Serie A title challengers Napoli, but his 11 major trophies in his time with Man City mean the 31-year-old can prioritise other things over title chasing.
The winger has been iced out of the Chelsea squad this season after a wholly unsuccessful loan spell at Arsenal last season saw him return to his parent club. He has been training away from the first team, and his absence on the pitch stretches as far back as May 2024
Fulham would provide the perfect spot due to its close proximity and an opportunity for more consistent game time, but a deal could prove complicated due to his absurd wages of a reported £325,000 a week.
Fulham’s owners aren’t short of financial assets, but a move of this scale would cripple any club outside of the world’s elite. However, with Chelsea keen to remove the huge stress on their wage bill, a big payout or significantly reduced deal could make the idea more plausible.
Image credit: Hossein Zohrevand, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Can Sterling have an impact at Fulham?
It’s hard to say whether Sterling would solve any of Fulham’s problems, and conversely, whether they would solve any of his, but players reviving their careers outside of the so-called ‘big six’ is becoming an increasingly familiar narrative.
Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, and Scott McTominay spring to mind as recent examples, and Sterling could join this group if he plays his cards right.
The talent is undeniable: numbers such as his 82 England caps, 396 Premier League appearances with 123 goals speak for themselves.
With such a long absence from regular first-team football after leaving Man City, perhaps a release of ‘big six’ pressure will see Sterling reborn and make an impact on the Premier League once again.
READ NEXT: Mathys Tel poised for premature Spurs exit following Champions League snub
