Aston Villa, Crystal Palace eye Chelsea’s Sterling as transfer window nears closure

Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are among the clubs interested in signing Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling before the transfer window closes.

Despite playing a key role in pre-season under new coach Enzo Maresca, Sterling was unexpectedly left out of the squad for Chelsea’s first Premier League match.

Sterling’s camp quickly released a statement seeking clarity about his future, especially after Chelsea reassigned his squad number to new signing Pedro Neto. Maresca has suggested that Sterling should find a new club before the window shuts.

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Villa has reportedly initiated talks with Chelsea, considering Sterling as a potential replacement for Moussa Diaby, who recently moved to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad. They had initially targeted Joao Felix, but he was sold to Chelsea by Atletico Madrid instead.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace has also shown interest, though affording Sterling’s £300,000-a-week wage may be a challenge.

The club would need Chelsea to cover a significant portion of that salary to make the deal feasible. Despite potential offers from Saudi Arabia, Sterling is reportedly keen to stay in London and remain in the Premier League.