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Chelsea are hoping to complete a deal for Raheem Sterling this week ahead of their pre-season tour to the United States.
Talks have been ongoing for several weeks between Chelsea and Manchester City over a transfer for Sterling this summer.
Thomas Tuchel, who has been given the transfer power by co-owner Todd Boehly regarding the club’s targets, has identified Sterling as a key target to improve and bolster the Blues’ attack, who scored 76 goals in the Premier League last season.
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A fee of around £45 million plus add-ons is likely to be agreed on and talks progressed over the weekend as an agreement got nearer.
No fee was agreed on, as reported by Martin Blackburn of The Sun, but it’s getting closer.
A deal is hoped to be agreed and finalised in the early stages of this week, adds Ben Jacobs.
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Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar have both been offered to Chelsea, but Tuchel’s priority remains getting a deal for Sterling over the line.
A full agreement is ‘very close’ and is expected to be finalised before Chelsea fly out to the United States on Saturday for their pre-season tour.
Sky Sports News added that talks are now ‘advanced and constructive’.
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Any deal will be dependent on Sterling agreeing to personal terms. He is believed to likely sign a four-year contract should his switch be confirmed.
But the 27-year-old wants to have an increase in salary from his Man City pay, to sit in line with him being in the prime of his career.
With a year left on his deal, Sterling’s time at the Etihad is coming to an end and Tuchel is set to get his man.
The Chelsea head coach warned his attackers of reinforcements this summer at the end of last season.
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His warning has come true and now competition for places has just increased.
"If we stick to the group then we will try to solve it with these players.
"Is it necessary to bring more offensive players around the box to create more distractions, to create more space for each other? We will ask that question. Can we do better in the structure? Can we push the players more? Did we rotate too much? Let’s see.
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“There are a lot of options. The numbers we produce from our offensive players don’t allow us to over-perform and we need over-performance if we want to be nearer to the top two teams. I am not pointing fingers, I am not blaming anybody, but we need over-performance from everybody. It’s not over-performance if we have only single figures in scoring and assisting.”
Topics: Raheem Sterling, Chelsea, Manchester City
Matthew Debono