Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling could play a crucial role in helping the club sign Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey, according to reports in the UK.

The Blues are said to be targeting the 25-year-old as a potential replacement for Christian Pulisic and it is believed that Sterling’s friendship with the player could prove useful in making the move to Stamford Bridge happen.

Both Bailey and Sterling were born in Kingston, although the latter opted to play for England while the former decided to play for the country of his birth.

With the winger performing well for Villa, the Midlands club may be reluctant to sell so having someone like Sterling could help push through a transfer.

A bid for Bailey is likely to be seriously considered if Chelsea offload Pulisic. The American has had limited game time and there is said to be a lot of interest from other teams ahead of the January transfer window.