Raheem Sterling Seeks Permanent Exit from Chelsea Amid Interest from West Ham and Fulham

Raheem Sterling is prioritizing a permanent transfer away from Chelsea this month, amid interest from both West Ham and Fulham, according to sources reported by ESPN.

The 31-year-old winger has been sidelined at Chelsea, and this situation is unlikely to change following the departure of Enzo Maresca as head coach on Thursday.

Sources indicate that West Ham has approached Chelsea with a proposal to sign Sterling on loan; however, the player rejected this opportunity solely because it was a temporary arrangement.

Sterling prefers to remain in London but is open to considering offers from clubs outside the city if the right opportunity arises. Fulham expressed interest in signing him last summer and is believed to be exploring a potential deal in January.

Chelsea is eager to alleviate their wage bill by offloading Sterling, who earns £325,000 a week ($438,000) and has 18 months left on the contract he signed upon joining from Manchester City for £47.5 million in 2022.

Currently, Sterling has been training separately from the first-team squad, having been included in Maresca’s so-called ‘bomb squad’—a group of players viewed as surplus to requirements.

Last season, he spent the latter half on loan at Arsenal, where he scored one goal in 28 appearances.