Raheem Sterling was Chelsea’s first transfer of the Todd Boehly era after the England international was signed from Manchester City this summer for £47.5million.
Sterling has been told he could find life at Stamford Bridge a lot tougher than he did at Manchester City, which is the pronouncement from Manchester United legend Gary Neville, who finds City’s transfer window to have been an odd one and he reckons the Blues might have a tough season coming up soon. Well, come what may it has certainly been a summer to remember for new owner Todd Boehly.
The LA Dodgers owner purchased Chelsea from sanctions-stifled Roman Abramovich and was almost immediately launched straight into the transfer window and ended up making Sterling his first signing. With one year left on his contract at the Etihad, the England international was apparently seeking a new challenge and was hence pounced on by Thomas Tuchel to move to Stamford Bridge.
But pundit Neville has concerns for the 27-year-old down in London, where he believes he will find it tougher than he did at the Etihad. Speaking on the Overlap, he said: “Obviously the year left on his [Raheem Sterling’s] contract, I think City actually wanted to keep him, didn’t they?
“The Sterling and Sadio Mane ones have just surprised me a little bit because I just think if you’re at Liverpool and City at the moment, and actually, they’re offering you an extension, or they would do, they want to keep you, why would you go? It’s a bit, it’s surprising.
“Look, he’ll find it harder at Chelsea, a lot harder, because he’s playing, not playing him with his familiar team.
“It’s a good signing, it’s a very good signing, but Chelsea I think are going to have a little bit of a bumpy season with everything that’s going on. They’re not as smooth in the transfer market, they’re a little bit more clumsy.”
Sterling has been brought in as an immediate replacement for Romelu Lukaku, who was loaned back to Inter Milan just a year after moving to Chelsea for £97million. Although not unaware that he former City star is not a traditional striker, Tuchel nonetheless wants a more fluid front three with Kai Havertz and Mason Mount likely to complete his forward trio.
Not wanting to disappoint his new manager, the new arrival at the Blues has already gotten his name on the scoresheet after netting in a friendly against Udinese – albeit in fortunate circumstances.
Nevertheless, Tuchel will need a reliable goalscorer going into the new season if he wants to break the stranglehold City have over the Premier League.