Chelsea have been made aware of the date that target Raheem Sterling will make a decision on his Manchester City future, according to reports in England.
The Blues have been heavily linked with a move for the 27-year-old this summer as Thomas Tuchel looks to rebuild his attack.
Recent reports have stated that Man City will not stand in the way of their forward if he wants to join the Blues this summer, handing Tuchel’s side a boost.
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Several clubs have reportedly been monitoring Sterling’s situation, with Chelsea having made the England international a top transfer target.
Chelsea’s new owners are eyeing him as the marquee signing of the summer following their recent £4.25 billion takeover of the club.
Romelu Lukaku’s return to Inter Milan is expected to be made official this week and Chelsea could then press on with finding an attacking replacement, with Sterling at the top of the agenda.
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The England international has reportedly already asked about life at Chelsea and Tuchel’s management style as he eyes a return to London, having been part of Queens Park Rangers’ academy as a youngster.
And now, the Telegraph have revealed that Sterling is hoping to resolve his future within the next two weeks.
With Lukaku’s exit expected in the coming week, Chelsea could act fast to sign Sterling as an attacking option for next season.
The Blues are yet to formally make contact with Man City or Sterling himself as the Telegraph continue to state that there is no front-runner for the 27-year-old’s signature this summer.
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Furthermore, Chelsea’s interest in Sterling is not believed to be linked to Lukaku’s departure.
The forward is expected to complete a return to Inter Milan, on an initial loan deal, as his time at Chelsea comes to an end.
The Belgian bagged 15 goals in all competitions after a £97.5 million transfer last summer, one goal shy of Sterling’s total for Man City.
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However, Lukaku fell out of favour after a controversial interview back in December and a return to Italy has all but been agreed on.
The Blues will allow him to depart on a season-long loan before assessing the situation next summer.
But it is not the on-the-pitch changes that has caught headlines in recent days.
Todd Boehly is ringing the changes at Stamford Bridge as both Bruce Buck and Marina Granovskaia are set for departures.
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The American will next turn his attention to squad renovations, with Tuchel set to take control of the transfers this summer.
Sterling is a name that refuses to go away and the forward could join the Chelsea squad ahead of the new season.
Having already played for both Manchester City and Liverpool, Sterling could move to the third placed Premier League side and look to mount a challenge against his former clubs next term.
Topics: Chelsea, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours, Transfers, Manchester City, Raheem Sterling, Football, Premier League
Nick Emms