Sterling and Chelsea end contract by mutual consent having not played this season after being frozen out of the team.
After leaving Chelsea by mutual consent, Raheem Sterling wants to turn his career around. Despite being the club’s highest earner, the 31-year-old winger has lost favour since 2024. Sterling had eighteen months remaining on a £325,000-per-week contract.
After coming from Manchester City in 2022, Sterling found it difficult to perform at his peak. He was hailed as a marquee signing and the first player to sign with Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital.
But Sterling’s tenure at Chelsea has been unsatisfactory. He was loaned to Arsenal last season after being inconsistent in his first two seasons. After Chelsea changed their transfer policy to focus on young players on highly incentivised long-term contracts, they were eager to let him go.
Sterling was hard to sell because of his salary and unwillingness to join a team outside of London. He has trained away from the starting lineup and hasn’t played this season. Sterling is reportedly open to leaving London, despite interest this month from Fulham, Crystal Palace and West Ham.
For one of the most well-known players in recent English football history, it has been a depressing slide. The Liverpool academy graduate was instrumental in Gareth Southgate’s revitalisation of the England team and won numerous awards at City.
For the first time since 1966, England’s men advanced to a major event final at Euro 2020 thanks to three goals from Sterling. He received an MBE in 2021 and has been a leading leader in the struggle against racism.
He was informed in the summer of 2024 that he had no future at Chelsea, and he hasn’t played for England since the 2022 World Cup. The club has tried to find a solution for Sterling, but none have worked.