‘I’ve also heard’… Chelsea open to selling £50m star with clubs ‘absolutely’ planning to bid

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Journalist Dean Jones has shared what he has heard about the future of Raheem Sterling, amid claims that there is interest from Saudi Arabia in the Chelsea star.

Raheem Sterling is one of several Chelsea players to seriously underperform this season. Given his ability, the 29-year-old’s return of six goals and six assists in the Premier League is arguably not good enough, particularly as only one of those goals have come since the end of November.

There have been suggestions that Sterling may be attracting interest from the Saudi Pro League this summer. Of course, Chelsea have previously offloaded the likes of Edouard Mendy, N’Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly to the Kingdom over the last year.

Raheem Sterling set to receive offer to leave Chelsea for Saudi Arabia this summer

Speaking on Ranks FC, Dean Jones has now suggested that everyone around Sterling is playing down the suggestion that he could move to Saudi in the summer.

However, he insisted that clubs in that region are certainly planning to make a move for the forward at the end of the season.

“There have been rumours in the past couple of weeks about Raheem Sterling and the Saudi Pro League. They have been played down. Let’s put that out there first. They have been played down. But that might be the case right now. And I think, from Sterling’s point of view, his representatives’ point of view, even Chelsea’s point of view, that’s the way you need it right now. There’s no point speculating about whether Raheem Sterling’s staying or not,” he said.

“Other information that I’ve heard, which is pretty well-sourced to be honest, is that Chelsea will be open to considering the departure of Raheem Sterling at the end of the season. And I’ve also heard from other sources that the Saudi Pro League are absolutely, at the very least, going to make him an offer.”

Blues will have to consider most serious offers this summer

Chelsea have invested so heavily in their ranks over the last couple of years that they would surely have to consider serious bids for almost any of their players this summer.

Sterling is now 29. And he has only completed 90 minutes once in the Premier League since the turn of the year.

Obviously, much will depend on whether the £50 million England international is willing to go. But Chelsea will be aware that some of the clubs in Saudi have the means to make the most lucrative bids.