Real Madrid have joined Chelsea in monitoring Raheem Sterling, whose Manchester City contract expires next summer. Sterling, who joined City in 2015, represents himself and has yet to agree new terms.
Sterling has previously talked glowingly of Real Madrid and over the past season and a half has lost his automatic starting place. The 27‑year‑old England forward scored 10 and 13 Premier League goals in the past two campaigns.
With Gareth Bale leaving Real and Mariano Díaz and Luka Jovic having struggled for game time and goals, Carlo Ancelotti is interested in signing Sterling, who can operate as a winger, false No 9 or second striker. Thomas Tuchel also wants to boost his attack after the lack of goals from his Chelsea forward line this season.
Khaldoon al-Mubarak, the City chairman, confirmed on Monday that the club intend to add two more players this summer. One will almost certainly be a midfielder because of Fernandinho’s departure and the other may be a full-back or, should Sterling be sold, a wide player.
Mubarak has revealed the club will commemorate three more of their greatest players, after putting up statues outside the Etihad Stadium of Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Sergio Agüero. “To remember Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee is very important,” he said. “They have earned the right to be appreciated eternally with statues. So we have commissioned a work of art for these three legends to be properly respected and represented.”
West Ham are close to making Nayef Aguerd their first summer signing after offering €35m (£29.8m) for the Rennes defender. David Moyes wants to add a left-sided centre-back and there is growing confidence that Aguerd will move to the London Stadium soon. The Morocco international was a standout performer for Rennes last season and West Ham have revived their interest in the 26-year-old after trying to sign him last summer.
There is work to do before the move goes through. West Ham have looked to sweeten the deal by offering €5m in add-ons and remain in negotiations with Rennes, who have qualified for the Europa League after finishing fourth in Ligue 1.
Angelo Ogbonna would normally start as the left-sided centre-back but the 34-year-old has been out since sustianing a serious knee injury last November. The Italian could take time to return to his best given his age. Moyes’s other defenders – Kurt Zouma, Issa Diop and Craig Dawson – are all more comfortable as the right-sided centre-back.
West Ham’s interest in Aguerd will raise doubts over Diop’s future. The 25-year-old Frenchman was inconsistent last season and he could be available. However the uncertainty over Ogbonna means Moyes could choose to have five centre-backs. West Ham, who were also interested in Joe Worrall before Nottingham Forest’s promotion to the Premier League, face another draining campaign after qualifying for the Europa Conference League.
