Chelsea outcast Raheem Sterling is reportedly looking for a permanent exit from the club in January and is ‘leaning towards’ Fulham instead of West Ham.

Sterlinghad a good first two seasons at Chelsea, but his role has changed massively since. The English winger was sent out on a disappointing loan to Arsenal last term, and has not played a single minute back at Stamford Bridge this season.

That points him towards the exit, and there are a couple of potential locations for him to land at within the Premier League.

A West Ham insider has revealed the Hammers are in talks over a loan move for Sterling.

However, insider Ben Jacobs followed that up by revealing the winger is looking for a permanent exit, and is not open to a loan without an obligation to buy.

Florian Plettenberg has since posted an update suggesting that another club has a better chance of the signing.

He states that Sterling is ‘leaning towards’ a move to Fulham, who are ‘concretely’ in the race, amid West Ham’s interest and exploration of the move.

The transfer saga is described as ‘one to watch’ over the next few days, with the January window open.

Whether Sterling would now be given any opportunities at Chelsea with Enzo Maresca gone remains to be seen. The boss has been in charge for the last two seasons, in which the winger has not played a single game for the Blues.

Sterling has been a member of the Chelsea bomb squad this term, with Maresca seemingly not a fan, but whether a new boss would see that change is unclear.

Currently, the suggestions remain that Sterling wants to leave Stamford Bridge, and those reports have surfaced since news of Maresca’s exit, meaning it seems the winger is indeed ready to walk away whatever happens in January.

Football finance expert Stefan Borson has discussed some other potential clubs for Sterling.

He told Football Insider: “Where would he go? West Ham is an obvious one. If he said he doesn’t want to move out of London, Nottingham Forest?is a bit of a commute, and they probably don’t need him. He doesn’t really fit with what they’re after.

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“Leeds would be too far. Bournemouth could work, but the wages would be enormous. Newcastle, I don’t think it’s going to work. It doesn’t feel like he fits in the Brighton model at all. Everton is too far. Spurs are not going to be interested. Fulham is, I guess, a possibility, but I think that’s probably the limit, isn’t it?

“I mean, Crystal Palace maybe they just think if they can get him for effectively a proportion of his wages, could he offer something in the second half of the season, given all the games they’ve got? I guess that’s not impossible.”

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