Former Chelsea and Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling has joined Dutch club Feyenoord on a contract running until the end of the season.
As reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, the England international, 31, left Chelsea by mutual consent in January after agreeing a settlement package with the Stamford Bridge club.
The deal reportedly covered the remaining 18 months of his contract, with wages in excess of £300,000 per week.
Sterling spent the past few weeks discussing his next move with clubs across England and Europe, but ultimately chose Feyenoord, who currently sit second in the Eredivisie table under the management of former Manchester United and Arsenal striker Robin van Persie.
Speaking after the move was confirmed, Sterling said: “As a free agent, I’ve had, for the first time in a long time, the opportunity to control the next step in my career. I wanted to take my time to speak with clubs and their head coaches to better understand the role they envisioned for me and ensure that I can add real value in this next chapter.
“Having spoken in great detail with Robin, I’m confident that Feyenoord is a place I can be happy and establish myself as a valued member of the team. Playing abroad is a whole new challenge for me – and one I’m ready to embrace. Honestly, I’m just excited to get started.”
Feyenoord sit 17 points behind league leaders PSV, but van Persie believes Sterling can help close the gap and push for Champions League qualification. The former Dutch international said: “Naturally, it’s a fantastic feat that we’ve managed to convince a player of Raheem’s calibre to sign with us. His football resume speaks for itself: he’s a player whose qualities can change the outcome of a game without a doubt, and I am convinced he will turn out to be a valuable addition to the team as we work towards achieving our goals in the second half of this season.”
According to BBC Sport, around 18 clubs from England and across Europe expressed interest in Sterling. The opportunity to play in a competitive league, the chance to help Feyenoord qualify for the Champions League, and van Persie’s vision for his role in the team were all major factors in Sterling’s decision to move to the Netherlands.
The transfer also draws a line under Sterling’s turbulent final years at Chelsea.
After joining from Manchester City in July 2022, Sterling was expected to be a key figure in a new era at Stamford Bridge. He featured in 59 of 76 Premier League games across his first two seasons under four different managers.
However, after the appointment of Enzo Maresca as Chelsea manager in June 2024, Sterling was loaned to Premier League rivals Arsenal, deemed surplus to requirements.
His loan spell was largely underwhelming, and he was later placed in the club’s so-called “bomb squad” and made available for transfer.
Now, Sterling heads to the Netherlands with a chance to rebuild his career and make a fresh impact in a new league — a challenge he says he is ready to embrace.
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