Raheem Sterling to fly to Los Angeles and join new Chelsea team-mates after completing medical for £50m transfer

RAHEEM STERLING is jetting to LA to join his new Chelsea team-mates ahead of his official unveiling this week.

The Manchester City forward is expected to seal a £50milion move in the next 24 hours once he gets a medical all-clear.

AFP

Raheem Sterling is heading to the USA as he closes on moving to Chelsea[/caption]

And Blues’ boss Thomas Tuchel hopes Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, 31, will follow the 27-year-old in.

Ex-Liverpool attacker Sterling will land a £300,000-a-week deal and will sign a five-year contract with the option of a further 12 months.

He could then make his Chelsea debut in Charlotte next Wednesday or Arsenal on Saturday week in Orlando.

But it’s thought he won’t feature before that against Club America in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Once Sterling arrives, Tuchel will switch most of his transfer focus to replacing Antonio Rudiger.

The Germany star – the Blues’ best defender from last season – has joined Real Madrid.

And Koulibaly is rated ‘very close’ to agreeing a £34m switch to Stamford Bridge.

The Senegal hero, 31, is tipped to sign a three-year deal.

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Next in line could be Sterling’s City team-mate Nathan Ake, 27,.

But Sevilla’s defensive lynchpin Jules Kounde is still on Tuchel’s radar.

The 23-year-old might be seen more as a ling-term successor to Thiago Silva, 37.