Leon Bailey has already given Aston Villa perfect Raheem Sterling Chelsea transfer verdict

Aston Villa are exploring a move for Raheem Sterling after opening talks with Chelsea over a possible deal

Aston Villa have reportedly opened talks Chelsea over a possible move for Raheem Sterling, who Leon Bailey has previously called his brother and mentor.

Sterling is currently training at home after being axed from Enzo Maresca's first-team plans at Chelsea. He and Chelsea preferably want to find a permanent solution to his future before the summer transfer window shuts next Friday.

The 29-year-old still has three years left on his £325,00-a-week contract after arriving at Stamford Bridge from Manchester City in the summer of 2022. The Times claim Villa are exploring a move for Sterling as Unai Emery wants to add to his attacking options after losing Moussa Diaby to Al-Ittihad for £50.5m last month.

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Sterling has ambitions to get back into the England team after last making an appearance for the Three Lions back in the 2022 World Cup. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, the winger has a strong bond with Villa's Bailey, and together they met Prince William and Princess Catherine while the Royals were on the Jamaican leg of his Caribbean tour in 2022.

A few months after their meeting with William and Kate, Bailey spoke to Sky Sports about his relationship with Sterling.

"He was already a professional for Liverpool and I was only 16 years old," he said. "We just built a good friendship since and obviously he advanced to City and then that's when I signed my first professional contract.

"His success has been my motivation since. I really looked up to him so when I signed my first professional contract, I decided I wanted to wear 31 and from then on we became like brothers.

"He's just always been that brother to me and I've been a brother to him. We help each other. We speak about a lot of different things. Whenever he had a bad time at City, we speak about it. I had injuries so we speak about that and are always giving positive messages to each other and trying to uplift each other.

"He's such a talented player and anywhere he goes he will always impress. I've been quite impressed by what he's been doing already at Chelsea. So I hope he will continue to and continue raising the flag high for a lot of the younger ones who look up to him like I do."

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