Manchester United told they would be a ‘good fit’ for Premier League outcast who ‘trains like a man possessed’

Raheem Sterling needs to revive his Premier League career this winter and Manchester United could be the perfect place for him.

That’s according to ex-Liverpool striker Dean Saunders, who believes that the Chelsea outcast is still good enough to play for a top side.

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Sterling has not played a single minute of football in over seven months, with his last appearance coming in May away at Southampton during his loan spell with Arsenal.

After returning to Chelsea from the Gunners, Enzo Maresca placed him in his ‘bomb squad’, and he found himself exiled.

In September, major concerns arose around the treatment of the former England international as he trained alone and away from the first-team squad – and he is still in a similar situation.

At that time, even the Professional Footballers’ Association stepped in to discuss the treatment of Sterling and fellow exile Axel Disasi with their club.

The winger will now be hopeful of securing a move away from Chelsea in the upcoming January transfer window, as he searches for any amount of football to reignite his career.

But there would still be questions over how much he wants to return to action and which team may come in with a potential offer.

So, ex-Premier League striker and talkSPORT regular Saunders has weighed up Sterling’s options this winter.

Saunders said: “He’s 31, he should be at the height of his powers, at the height of his career. That’s when you’re at your prime.

“He’s training on his own at Chelsea, is he? I don’t even know where he is now. He went to Arsenal and didn’t play many games, which is fair enough with the players they’ve got.

“But if I were a club now, any team in the Premier League, I would sign Raheem Sterling.

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“If you haven’t got to pay a fee for him, and you can get his wages sort of halved or whatever, or they pay most of his wages to give you a really good deal, he is definitely good enough to play in the Premier League.”

Saunders was then asked whether he could see Sterling taking a pay cut, with the 82-cap England international earning over £300,000 per week at Chelsea.

The former Liverpool forward replied: “Well, from what I know of him, apparently he loves football, he trains like a man possessed every day, he stays out afterwards trying to improve.

“He’s always been like that since he was at Liverpool as a kid. When he was young at Liverpool, all the youth team coaches that worked with him, I know them all, said he’s a great lad. He will be now.

“He will be on the floor that he’s not playing football. And someone needs to get him out of there and get him playing before it’s too late.

“At 35 it’s all over, mate. Get out there and play football.”

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Which team could Sterling sign for?

Sterling’s Chelsea career is over and the only solution to getting his career going again will be to move away.

The 31-year-old used to be one of the best wingers in the Premier League, and even the world, starring with Manchester City where he won four league titles, five League Cups and one FA Cup.

His stock has collapsed since his last appearances for the Blues in 2024, but Saunders still thinks he can play for a giant.

“If you’re looking to strengthen your team, I mean, he could play anywhere, couldn’t he? Saunders said. “He could play for Man United.

“When he’s at his peak, he could get in Liverpool’s team, obviously, he played for them.

“But I would say Man United, Spurs, he could get in any of the teams that are just below the top, trying to win the league.

“The teams that are trying to win the league, he could get in their squads.”