Raheem Sterling has agreed personal terms with Chelsea which will see the Manchester City winger become the club’s highest-paid player.
Sterling is set to become the first marquee signing under Chelsea’s new ownership, spearheaded by chairman Todd Boehly, with the club close to reaching an agreement with City over a fee, which is expected to be £45m plus add-ons reports ESPN.
Sterling will become Chelsea’s highest-paid player once the English winger signs his new deal and will surpass N’Golo Kante, who earns a reported £290,000-a-week states ESPN.
Thomas Tuchel’s pitch to Sterling over the significant role the England international will play on and off the pitch at Chelsea was central in making the decision to join the London club reports Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy, as the Chelsea boss sees the Man City winger as a leader as well as a decisive edge in the final third.
Sterling is set to leave Man City after seven years with the club, where the England international scored 131 goals in 339 appearances for the reigning Premier League champions.
Last season Sterling broke into the club’s top 10 list of all-time goalscorers, which underlines the influence the 27-year-old has had during City’s spell of domestic dominance. The England international won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and four League Cup titles during his time with the Manchester club and now moves on to a new challenge in London.
The winger is still in the prime of his career and has plenty to offer Chelsea next season. The Blues have been searching for a new winger all summer and have now got their man ahead of what is going to be an important season for Thomas Tuchel’s squad.