KEY POINTS

  • Dujon Sterling is returning from a 13-month layoff
  • Chelsea reportedly opened contract negotiations with the 23-year-old
  • Missing out on Achraf Hakimi has opened a spot for Sterling to shine

Chelsea’s big summer signing may not come at all since Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland opted to stay with the team after being previously linked to the perennial English Premier League powerhouse.

Opting instead to focus on keeping the talent that they already have on the team, Chelsea has reportedly opened up talks with returning wing-back Dujon Sterling after being out of action for 13 months due to a non-COVID related illness followed by a hamstring injury.

Sterling reportedly has impressed Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel during the club’s pre-season training and with Goal reporting that he wants to stay with them, they’ll be doing what it takes to keep him there.

Chelsea had recently seen the departures of Fikayo Tomori and Olivier Giroud to AC Milan, freeing up space on the first team where Sterling and other youngsters can have an opportunity to shine.

A product of their youth academy, Sterling debuted on the senior team at just 17 years old but has seen himself go out on loan over the past couple of years, including spells at English League One’s (third division) Coventry City and with Wigan.

Sterling is highly rated within the club and his level of play has always been developing year after year, which culminated in his 45-minute performance against Peterborough United in a friendly match where Chelsea won 6-1.

He is a part of the first-team squad that will be traveling to Ireland for a week-long training camp, giving him more opportunities to shine and to further impress Tuchel to the point that they’ll have to give him appearances on the squad throughout the season.

Chelsea has had a disappointing transfer window thus far, as they missed out on Haaland’s signature just when many thought that the Norwegian would be joining the team in the English Premier League.

With the club missing out on the signature of Achraf Hakimi, who opted to join Paris Saint-Germain, Sterling could find himself in first-team action over at Stamford Bridge.

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