Manchester United and Chelsea are currently in discussions regarding a potential swap deal involving Jadon Sancho and Raheem Sterling, as reported by sources close to the clubs. Chelsea have shown interest in acquiring Sancho and are willing to part ways with Sterling, who has been deemed surplus to requirements by head coach Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea’s motivation for pursuing Sancho stems from their desire to strengthen their squad, and they are looking to free up Sterling’s significant salary of £325,000-a-week ($430,000) from their wage bill. It has been reported that Sterling would prefer a permanent transfer rather than a loan deal, and he also has a preference for staying in the Premier League, despite interest from Juventus.
While both Juventus and Chelsea are monitoring Sancho’s situation, the talks between Chelsea and United have taken a turn towards exploring the possibility of including Sterling in a potential deal. As of Tuesday afternoon, negotiations were still at an early stage, with neither Sancho’s move to Chelsea nor Sterling’s potential switch to United being considered imminent. Sterling, who still has three years left on his contract at Stamford Bridge, is keen on securing regular first-team football.
Sterling, who spent seven seasons at Manchester City, has expressed his admiration for Manchester United in the past, stating that he was a “massive United fan” during his youth. United’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth, is known to be an admirer of Sterling’s talents, adding an extra layer of complexity to the negotiations. Sterling is looking to regain his spot in the England squad after missing out on Euro 2024, which is a key factor in his decision-making process.
Chelsea are currently in the process of streamlining their squad, with more than a dozen players, including Sterling, training separately from the main group. The club is aiming to reduce the squad size before the upcoming transfer deadline on Friday, which has led to the decision to make Sterling available for a potential move.
The potential swap deal between Manchester United and Chelsea involving Jadon Sancho and Raheem Sterling presents an intriguing scenario for both clubs. With negotiations still ongoing and various factors at play, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming days.