Report: Chelsea finalizing £45M deal for Manchester City's Sterling

Chelsea are close to signing Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling for £45 million, The Guardian's Fabrizio Romano reports.

Sterling has reportedly agreed to terms on a contract that will make him one of Chelsea's highest-paid players.

The club expects Sterling to sign it in time to join his new teammates on their preseason tour of the United States, according to The Independent's Miguel Delaney. Chelsea's first preseason match will take place July 16 in Las Vegas.

The Blues reportedly contacted City in June about a potential deal, making Sterling one of their primary transfer targets. Sterling - who's scored 109 Premier League goals between spells at Liverpool and City - would become Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly's first signing since he replaced Marina Granovskaia as interim sporting director.

The 27-year-old's arrival would immediately follow the departure of Romelu Lukaku, who rejoined Inter Milan on loan just a year after signing for Chelsea in a reported £97.5-million deal. The west London side could also offload right-winger Hakim Ziyech, who's reportedly in talks with AC Milan over a loan deal, along with Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Sterling's role at City diminished last season. He made just 23 starts in the Premier League - the fewest since he joined the club from Liverpool in 2015 - and largely appeared as a substitute toward the end of City's title-winning campaign.

His contract with City expires in June 2023.