Sterling became a free agent after mutually terminating his contract with Chelsea on 28 January 2026 (he was largely sidelined, including a loan at Arsenal in 2024–25, and had not played competitively since mid-2025).
Multiple reports indicate that Spurs showed interest:
Sources such as Caught offsideDaily Mail, TEAMtalk and others named Tottenham as one of several clubs (including West Ham, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Napoli, Juventus and more) considering him, with manager Thomas Frank reportedly “on board”.
His preference to remain in London for family reasons increased local clubs’ chances, and he was willing to accept a significant pay cut (from ~£325,000 per week at Chelsea to less than a third).
Spurs’ interest stemmed from the fact that they needed attacking reinforcements due to injuries and poor form (they were reportedly ranked 14th domestically at times).
Tottenham have shown interest, but they are not the only ones. London rivals West Ham, Fulham and Crystal Palace are also in the race, with Sterling’s desire to remain in the capital for family reasons giving them the edge. Fulham’s connection with Marco Silva, Palace’s squad planning and West Ham’s need for attacking depth all make him an attractive option. Brentford’s name has also been mentioned, although financial constraints weaken their chances.
The key factor is Sterling’s willingness to take a huge pay cut. After earning €375,000 a week at Chelsea, he is willing to sign for less than a third of that amount. This flexibility has also attracted interest from abroad, with Juventus, Napoli, Bayern Munich and Roma all monitoring the situation. MLS clubs have also made moves, but Sterling’s priority is to remain at the top level and, ideally, be part of a team competing in the Champions League.
However, the situation quickly evolved:
Some later reports (for example from Goal.com and journalists such as Alasdair Gold) stated that Tottenham were withdrawing interest or withdrawing, citing concerns over his wage demands not fitting with the club’s financial structure, despite no transfer fee having been paid.
Other sources, such as Express Sport, indicated that there are no plans to pursue him in the late stages of the window.
Conflicting claims exist; Some say the interest was ‘serious’, others that Spurs were never really in it or backed out, typical of late-period speculation.
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