Finally, it appears Chelsea will soon be able to announce their first new signing of the transfer window. Raheem Sterling has agreed personal terms with the Blues and now negotiations must be completed with Manchester City.
The clubs are believed to have outlined a deal worth £45 million plus £10 million in add-ons for the England international, with Sterling set to become Chelsea's highest paid player following Romelu Lukaku's loan to Inter Milan.
The 27-year-old is expected to receive in excess of £300,000 per week at Stamford Bridge. Lukaku is believed to have brought home £325,000 each week, while N'Golo Kante earns £290,000 per week.
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It's a figure that is fitting for the scale of the transfer. Thomas Tuchel had direct contact with Sterling in the process of discussing the move and proved persuasive, as the winger hoped for greater playing time away from Manchester City to continue to improve himself during his peak years.
An influential role is clearly envisaged for Sterling in Tuchel's Chelsea rebuild this summer as the Blues hope to prevail from a summer of transition. It is players whose continuity with the club has proved successful, who could be impacted however.
Since the Boehly-Clearlake Capital takeover the club, there has been a great deal of noise around extending the deals of Reece James and Mason Mount. Few can claim to have been as central to the success the club has had as the academy products, who are both currently on modest terms given their status at the club.
James racked up six goals and 10 assists from wing-back in a disrupted season, while Mount has earned the club's last two player of the year awards. At 22 and 23, respectively, there is little doubt the Blues will hope to build their future around the pair, whose current deals expire in 2025 and 2024, respectively.
football.london understands James will be offered a new deal and is expected to sign, even with some interest from Manchester City. It has been suggested that Mount could see his salary double as a result of new negotiations.
Sterling's benchmark will certainly be informative to any discussions this summer. It does not appear to radically change the format of Chelsea's wage structure, but could prove informative of what the club would be willing to offer.
The pair may not be the only players who will be required to renew their deals, though for Kante and Jorginho, their demands may not be allowed to be so lofty. The midfield duo are both set to see their contracts expire in 2023.
Contract talks have yet to take place for the Frenchman, while Jorginho's agent has claimed they will discuss a renewal in September, though Juventus are thought to retain an interest in the Italian. Both players are perhaps moving towards the twilight of their careers, but nevertheless, Tuchel wanted the pair's future resolved before the start of the new season. That looks unlikely at the moment.
Kante's injuries in particular proved a source of frustration in 2021/22, which must come into consideration when offering a new contract. Whether the World Cup winner will be able to demand a package close to his current one, remains to be seen.
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