Raheem Sterling handed urgent warning over Man Utd transfer failure

Manchester United have been touted with a shock move for Chelsea outcast Raheem Sterling ahead of the transfer window deadline, and one Premier League icon has urged the star to move

Premier League veteran Tony Cottee has advised Raheem Sterling to leave Chelsea amid swirling rumours of a transfer deadline day frenzy.

Sterling's future at Chelsea is hanging in the balance, with rumblings of interest from top-flight rivals Manchester United and Arsenal. The out-of-favour forward has not been called up for any of Chelsea's first three games of the new campaign, with new coach Enzo Maresca seemingly resigned to succeeding without the experienced winger.

But offloading Sterling could be complicated, especially considering his steep weekly earnings of £325,000, which may deter many suitors. United would be one of the few teams who could perhaps afford such a move, though their coffers are believed to be relatively dry after a busy summer of their own.

With Chelsea fortifying their attack by bringing in Joao Felix and Pedro Neto, and Noni Madueke dazzling with a hat-trick against Wolves, Sterling faces stiffer competition than ever before. And ex-West Ham and Everton striker Cottee has suggested Sterling should look to relocate.

Discussing Sterling's predicament in partnership with Altenar, Cottee said: "I think Arsenal would be a good move for him, without a doubt," adding, "Whether Arsenal want him or need him is a different question. I think from Raheem's point of view, he needs to play football. He's 29 now, technically you should be playing your best football at that age.

"He's still got his pace, he's got all his experience. He's been playing from a very young age [and] he's played for some fantastic clubs. But the bottom line is it's OK earning £325,000 a week...people often think footballers play for the money; they don't play for the money, they play for their own personal pride, their team, and they wanna be a part of something and wanna win things."

Arsenal have made it their mission to rejuvenate the squad under manager Mikel Arteta and director Edu, rarely recruiting players over the age of 25 in recent years. However, the Gunners have done away with that policy already this summer after securing a deal for 28-year-old Mikel Merino.

Cottee, 59, went on to say Sterling should be targeting a place in England's 2026 World Cup squad despite his recent demotion at Stamford Bridge. However, he stressed the importance of regular playing time in that pursuit, with the player at risk of sitting out for long spells if he remains with the Blues.

"Now, you're not gonna do that if you stay at Chelsea and you're training with the other 20 players who ain't got a position in the squad at the moment," he continued. "That's not going to help. You don't want to go somewhere where you're not going to be a regular, so he needs to go somewhere where he's going to play.

"The wages are going to be a problem, we know that. But I would've thought Chelsea will contribute, and whoever buys or takes him on loan will pay £100,000 or £150,000 a week of his wages. He just needs to play football."

With the clock ticking down, United could benefit from Chelsea's interest in Jadon Sancho, who had a tough time under Erik ten Hag last season but seems to have made his way back into the mix this year. Still, it might be wiser for both parties to cut their losses and move on.

As the transfer window prepares to close at 11pm on Friday evening, Cottee believes Sterling would be doing a disservice to his career if he remains at Chelsea beyond the deadline. And the player could do worse than to join Ten Hag's rebuild at Old Trafford before England closes to business until January.

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