Rangers ‘win race’ to sign Dujon Sterling from Chelsea on ‘long-term’ deal as transfer timeline made clear

Rangers have reportedly won the race to sign transfer target Dujon Sterling after their interest in the versatile defender escalated with the player now making a decision on his future.

It is understood a move for the Chelsea star had developed quickly over the past 24 hours and is close to being finalised, with the English Premier League giants giving the green light to rubber-stamp his exit.

The 23-year-old Londoner now looks set to agree a “long-term” contract with the Ibrox club when his contract expires at Stamford Bridge in the next couple of weeks.

According to the Evening Standard, Sterling will undergo a medical and put pen to paper with Michael Beale’s side after he was identified by the former QPR boss as a key part of his summer rebuild. The report adds that Sterling had been tracked by a host of English clubs but was lured by the prospect of Champions League football and competiting with Celtic for major honours.

Naturally a right-back, who can also be deployed anywhere across the backline or as a wide midfielder, Sterling has impressed on loan at EFL Championship outfit Stoke City this season after previous spells at Blackpool, Wigan Athletic and Coventry. The former England youth international has made 28 appearances for the Potters this season and head coach Alex Neil had wanted to keep him on a permanent basis.

However, it appears as if the player has decided on a move to Glasgow. The Blues youth product, who came through the ranks with the likes of Mason Mount, Reece James, Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi knows Beale from his own time as a coach at Chelsea, which is thought to have impacted his decision.

Once named on a worldwide watch list of young prospects alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Martin Odegaard, Sterling featured for the Blues during pre-season in 2021 under Thomas Tuchel but struggled to make his first-team breakthrough.

Sterling was recently quizzed about his future and admitted: “I’ll know by the end of May what I’m going to do next season. I’m not really taling about anything. I spoke to the club and I have a meeting with the gaffer on Saturday.

“For now they know my position and they respect that I don’t really want to talk about any ongoing contracts until I’m back from holiday. I have enjoyed my time here this season. We have a really good bunch of players and I think we could do something next season.”