West Ham are interested in signing Raheem Sterling from Chelsea in the January transfer window as they aim to climb clear of Premier League relegation trouble in the remainder of the campaign. The Hammers are currently 18th, four points from safety, and are looking to reshape their squad as they look to retain their top-flight status.West Ham are, per Ben Jacobs and ExWHUEmployee, interested in signing Sterling on loan from Chelsea this month but he would rather leave the club permanently, or at the very least, on loan with an obligation to buy. However, Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian reports that the winger is unlikely to want to make the move, such is the peril the Hammers are in at the bottom end of the table. Florian Plettenberg has also reported that the Irons believe he would prefer to join Fulham. The Cottagers are 11th, and sit 13 points ahead of the Hammers in the table. Sterling has not played a single minute of football in 2025-26. The former Liverpool winger joined Arsenal on loan in the 2024-25 season, making 28 appearances and scoring one goal. The Gunners were not minded to sign him permanently. Now, the ex-England international appears set to make a decision over which London club he would like to join. Fulham may have moved ahead of the Irons in the pecking order and with the transfer window open, both clubs will hope to convince him swiftly. Sterling was also floated as a potential signing for Wrexham, but that always appeared to be something of a flight of a fancy. Sterling claimed upon joining Arsenal that the Gunners were a "perfect fit" for him, but he did not manage to convince Mikel Arteta to keep him.He said: "I’m buzzing. It’s one where we left it late but it’s one I was hoping for. Looking at everything, I’m just like: ‘this is a perfect fit for me’, and I’m super happy that we got it over the line."It’s a perfect fit for myself to be at a football club like this, where you can see that hunger, that desire, year on year, they are pushing and pushing and pushing. That’s exactly how I am as a person."Each year you want to get better and do better than the previous year. Hopefully I can gel really well with the boys and get going."It’s time now to meet the boys, get settled in and hopefully now see some game time and make my mark."Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingSterling will be a keen observer of both Fulham and West Ham's upcoming fixtures. The Cottagers play Liverpool, while West Ham face Wolves. The latter is a huge six-pointer, with the Hammers facing the team at the very bottom of the Premier League. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo accepts the club must be active in the window, saying: "We need to make the right moves in a very difficult transfer window to operate."The emphasis was not on quantity, but precision. West Ham’s recent recruitment history has oscillated between short term fixes and longer term gambles. This time, the manager is pressing for balance, experience and immediate reliability."But we need to, so we can improve and have more options for the second half of the season."He added: "I have a clear idea about everything. I have a clear idea, because this is our job. It’s up to us to pass information to the club, so the club is aware of what we need."It’s coming in a couple of days. The reflection is clear, so the sooner the better."West Ham have also been linked with Lazio's Taty Castellanos, and Gil Vicente's Pablo, two strikers who could fire the Irons away from trouble if they settle quickly in east London.