British media footballinsider247 reported that Sterling's road to leaving Chelsea is gradually becoming clear and she missed the opportunity to transfer in the summer window.
Former scout Mick Brown revealed that Chelsea may be preparing to tear Sterling's contract to get him out of the roster, but the plan may be hampered by potential compensation due to his high salary of £300,000 a week.
The Times reported that although other transfer windows remain open, Sterling is "unlikely" to transfer to Saudi Arabia or other overseas clubs because he prefers to stay in the UK with his young family. He is expected to wait until the January transfer window before trying to leave Stamford Bridge, but the same report also noted that he will not be re-entered into Maresca's first-team roster until then and may continue to train alone until the end of the year.
Sterling joined Chelsea from Manchester City for £47.5 million in 2022, becoming one of the first major signings between Todd Burley and Clearlake Capital. However, his days at Stamford Bridge were not going well, with only seven starts in the Premier League after being loaned to Arsenal last summer.
Sterling was excluded from Chelsea's Club World Cup roster this summer due to no future at Arsenal. West Ham and Fulham reportedly were interested in Sterling before the transfer window closed, but he failed to leave the team successfully. Now, he is looking for new opportunities to continue his career.
Once, Sterling was one of the best wingers in the Premier League and even the world football world, but since he left Manchester City to join Chelsea in 2022, he has been unable to get his best form. Despite this, his 34 goals and assists during his time at Chelsea are still not too bad. Therefore, it is not surprising that top clubs are interested in him.
Sterling did not accidentally win the Premier League championship four times, nor did she get 82 chances of playing in the England national team for symbolic reasons. Having such an experienced and skilled player would be very beneficial for young players in West Ham or Fulham.
However, his current choice actually prevents him from playing in the next four months, which will lose him to play form and may make potential suitors no longer view him as a viable option.
Although there may still be teams interested in him in January next year, it is unclear whether he can find a club he likes or the right conditions. He probably should regret not leaving Chelsea decisively last week.