“Spurs told to act decisively on high-risk deal following key development”

Tottenham have been encouraged to explore a free-transfer move for Raheem Sterling following confirmation of his release from Chelsea.

Now available on the open market, the former Liverpool and Manchester City winger is expected to attract interest from several major clubs, particularly if he is willing to consider a short-term contract.

That is the approach former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara would like his old club to take. Speaking to talkSPORT, O’Hara suggested Sterling would still represent an upgrade on Tottenham’s current attacking options.

He believes the England international could be persuaded to sign a deal running until the end of the season and feels the winger would be capable of making a valuable contribution during that period.

Tottenham backed to move for Raheem Sterling

Discussing Sterling’s future after his Chelsea exit, O’Hara said he would have no hesitation in bringing the forward to north London, insisting Sterling remains a quality player who is superior to Spurs’ existing wide options.

O’Hara added that he would happily offer Sterling a contract until the end of the campaign, should the player be open to a short-term arrangement. He acknowledged, however, that Sterling may have other offers available, including potentially lucrative long-term proposals from Saudi Arabia.

Nevertheless, O’Hara argued that if Sterling still has the desire to compete at Premier League level, Tottenham should be willing to give him that chance.

Another ‘big six’ stop for Sterling?

Sterling has already turned out for four of the Premier League’s so-called ‘big six’ clubs. He began his career at Liverpool before joining Manchester City in 2015, where he scored 131 goals in 339 appearances.

He later moved to Chelsea and spent last season on loan at Arsenal.

A switch to Spurs would see Sterling add another heavyweight English club to his CV, leaving Manchester United as the only ‘big six’ side he would not have represented—an intriguing footnote in a career that has spanned the elite of English football.