Chelsea are on course to land "top target" Raheem Sterling, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.

The Stamford Bridge outfit recently opened talks with Manchester City for the England international and Crook is confident that Thomas Tuchel will get his man.

What's the latest news involving Sterling?

With Chelsea's title bid fading early in 2022, the German is clearly looking to improve his squad in order to mount a serious challenge to City and Liverpool for the Premier League next season.

GiveMeSport Transfer Verdict

GiveMeSport Transfer Verdict

According to the Telegraph, the Blues are in discussions with the 27-year-old after co-owner Todd Boehly contacted Pep Guardiola's side over their asking price for the attacker.

The report states that Sterling who's fallen out of favour at the Etihad Stadium, is one of Chelsea's top targets, although City are demanding around £60m for their star, which is £25m more than what the Blues believe he's worth.

Regardless, Crook reckons that Chelsea have every chance of making him their first summer signing if they can agree a fee somewhere in between.

What did Crook say about Sterling?

He told GIVEMESPORT: "I think there's a good chance, I think he's their top target. Obviously there has been conversations about Neymar, but I don't see them breaking the bank for him.

"Tuchel is a big fan of Sterling, I think Sterling has accepted that his time at City has come to an end, and if they can agree a similar fee to Gabriel Jesus at Arsenal of £45m-£50m, that would be a good piece of business all round."

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Why do Chelsea want Sterling?

Sterling might not be as technically gifted as someone like Riyad Mahrez or Hakim Ziyech, but his stats speak for themselves.

And in recent years, he's established himself as one of the most consistent wingers in English football. Even last season, when he was far from a nailed on starter, he still chipped in with 17 goals and nine assists across all competitions.

In his overall club career, Sterling has seen the back of the net bulge on 154 occasions, with 109 of those coming in the Premier League across spells with Liverpool and Manchester City.

Compared to Chelsea's current wide options, who all boast questionable records in the top-flight since they arrived, he would be a significant upgrade on their entire wide department.