Raheem Sterling linked with shock move to one of Chelsea's biggest rivals after being left out of squad

Raheem Sterling could be set for a move away from Chelsea this summer as links have emerged to a top rival of the London club.

Chelsea got their Premier League season off to a disappointing start after a lacklustre 2-0 defeat to champions Manchester City on Sunday.

But the real drama came before kickoff, when winger Sterling was left out of the match day squad by new manager Enzo Maresca.

And now new reports have emerged linking Sterling to a shock move to one of Chelsea's most historic rivals.

According to HITC, the England international could be set to join Chelsea's local rivals West Ham United after the club had already shown interest in making a move for him this summer.

The report also states that Crystal Palace have been interested in Sterling during this transfer window, leaving the door open for another move within London.

West Ham have been extremely busy in this summer's transfer window, as they prepared themselves for their first season under new manager Julen Lopetegui.

In his first window as the Hammers' boss, Lopetegui has brought several high-profile names to the club including forwards Niclas Fullkrug and Crysensio Summerville.

The Spaniard has also improved the defence at the club, signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Manchester United, Max Kilman from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Jean-Clair Todibo on a free transfer.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace have not been quite as active this summer following the departure of star man Michael Olise, who joined Bayern Munich in July.

Former Watford winger Ismaila Sarr has been brought in to fill in the gap on the right wing for Palace, but Sterling could prove to be a more fitting replacement for Olise should a transfer materialise.

And it is likely that Sterling could be available for either West Ham or Crystal Palace in a cut-price deal as the winger has seemingly fallen out of favour with Chelsea boss Maresca, despite his praise for the forward in pre-season.

Sterling has made 81 appearances since joining Chelsea from City on a five year deal in the summer of 2022, with the fee reported to be £50million. (Image: Getty)

After missing out on selection for the squad to play Manchester City, a statement from Sterling's representatives appeared in the Daily Mail.

It read: "Given his inclusion in official club pre-match material this week, our expectation was that Raheem would be involved in this weekend’s fixture in some capacity.

"As a camp, we have always had positive dialogue with, and assurance from, Chelsea FC in relation to Raheem’s future at the club, so we look forward to gaining clarity on the situation."