Chelsea Prepare Opening Bid For Manchester City Forward

Chelsea are preparing their opening offer for Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling, according to a new report.

The Blues are targeting attacking reinforcements following the takeover led by the Boehly-Clearlake consortium to challenge on all fronts next season.

A disappointing campaign on the back of the Blues' Champions League triumph in 2021 saw Thomas Tuchel's men finish the season trophyless, suffering defeat the hands of Liverpool on penalties in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup finals at Wembley.

Thomas Tuchel in Chelsea's Premier League game with Liverpool (Image: Alamy)

Despite signing Romelu Lukaku from Inter for a club record £97.5 million, the west Londoners were limited in attack all season due to a host of reasons on and off the pitch.

Tuchel is understood to have been promised a £200 million budget this summer to rebuild his squad with up to six new additions as Chelsea aim to mount a serious charge for the Premier League title next season.

Manchester City's Raheem Sterling and Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele are believed to be high up on Tuchel's wishlist for the summer.

Chelsea are seriously interested in signing Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling this summer (Image: Alamy)

Raheem Sterling is entering the final 12 months of his contract at the Etihad Stadium and is yet to commit his long-term future to the Premier League champions.

The England international, who turns 28 in December, is seeking assurances over regular first-team football ahead of the World Cup in Qatar later this year.

Pep Guardiola often rotated Sterling with the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus following the forward's return to the starting XI - after he was out of favour at the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and forward Raheem Sterling (Image: Alamy)

According to a new report by Matt Law of The Telegraph, Chelsea are preparing their opening bid for Raheem Sterling, who is valued by Manchester City between £50-60 million.

Thomas Tuchel has held positive talks with the four-time Premier League winner, who is Chelsea's top target as part of their attacking rebuild ahead of the new campaign.

Sources close to Manchester City have stated Sterling will make a concrete decision on his immediate future in the next fortnight, which could see the Englishman follow Gabriel Jesus towards the exit door as the Brazilian nears a reported £45 million switch to Arsenal.

Sterling is open to leaving Manchester City this summer (Image: Alamy)

Sterling was open to a move away from the Etihad Stadium last summer, when he was offered to Tottenham as part of a player-plus-cash deal for England captain Harry Kane.

However, the financial restraints of the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with Sterling's desire of playing abroad at some point in his career meant an exit could not materialise.

After playing the least number of minutes during a season since his arrival to City from Liverpool in 2015, Sterling is open to parting ways with the six-time Premier League champions to play more regularly.