Raheem Sterling is ‘determined to STAY at Chelsea despite a disappointing first season’… with the England international ‘excited’ to rediscover his form under incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino
- The ex-Manchester City player signed a five-year contract to join The Blues in the summer of 2022
- But Sterling has failed to capitalize on his best performances in a turbulent campaign
- The soon-to-be new Chelsea manager will have to assess a number of players
According to reports, Raheem Sterling is determined to stay at Chelsea and regain his form despite a lackluster debut season in the capital.
The Manchester City winner was one of the big signings to usher in the new era under co-controlling owner Todd Boehly after being lured away from the club on a five-year £47.5 million deal.
But the 28-year-old has failed to replicate his Premier League winning form in West London and his debut during last week’s game against Bournemouth in the 63rd minute was greeted with a volley of boos.
Sterling went on to provide an assist for Atletico Madrid loanee Joao Felix, who scored the Blues’ third in their first game win since beating Leicester under then manager Graham Potter in early March.
But the contribution was just the player’s fourth in all competitions, with Sterling scoring just seven goals in 35 appearances.
Raheem Sterling is determined to stay at Chelsea and help the club win back
Despite being welcomed onto the pitch by cheers against Bournemouth, Sterling provided a classy assist for Joao Felix
Chelsea’s woeful goalscoring form this season makes Sterling the second-highest scoring player in blue this season, but by his own standards his performances have been inconsistent at best.
But according to talkSPORTSterling is committed to the club and wants to play a role in the team’s upcoming summer rebuild.
The squad has been bloated with players brought in during the last two transfer windows – in which the owners have spent more than £600m on new recruits – forcing the club to urgently trim the fat to ensure their presence in the transfer market and greater team cohesion.
The Blues are still without a permanent manager following the sacking of Graham Potter in August, but the club are expected to announce the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as head coach soon.
Sterling is said to be thrilled at the prospect of working under the former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain manager, who will have a formidable task in getting the disjointed and unconfident side back to the winning ways that have defined their recent. history.
Chelsea are currently 11th in the Premier League and could be on their way to their lowest since 1993 with four games to play.
Making a decision about Sterling is one of many things for Mauricio Pochettino (left); another is whether Romelu Lukaku (right) is part of his plans
The former City striker is one of the high-profile players Pochettino will have to judge when he takes over the reins in West London.
Felix’s loan spell expires on the last day of the season and despite the player’s intentions to stay, there are concerns about a lack of Champions League football next season, which is all but guaranteed at his parent club.
The club’s record signing Romelu Lukaku, who is currently on loan at Inter Milan, will return to England at the end of the season, and it remains unclear whether Pochettino believes he can coax the player’s best form.
Should he or the club wish to stage his departure, Chelsea are unlikely to see a promising return on their investment after the two patchy seasons that followed his successful £97.5 million signing.