Raheem Sterling, a veteran of the Premier League, has officially departed from Chelsea and is now a free agent, as announced by the London club on Wednesday.
“We extend our gratitude to Raheem for his contributions during his time at Chelsea and wish him success in his future endeavors,” Chelsea stated in a brief statement.
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At 31, Sterling has not featured for Chelsea since the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, having spent last season on loan at Arsenal, where he made 28 appearances, scoring one goal and providing five assists.
MORE — Complete list of January transfers in the Premier League
His Chelsea career saw him score 19 goals and provide 15 assists in 86 appearances over two seasons, a decline from his peak performance at Manchester City.
The forward has earned 82 caps for England, netting 20 goals and providing 27 assists, but hasn’t represented the national team since a brief appearance against France in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals.
In Premier League history, Sterling ranks 19th all-time in assists with 65, while he is tied for 20th place in goals with Dwight Yorke at 123.
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Raheem Sterling departs Chelsea, moving into free agency — What’s next?
Despite a less than stellar past few seasons, Sterling will likely have several opportunities ahead of him.
He could secure a lucrative deal in Saudi Arabia or Major League Soccer, but he may prefer to continue climbing the Premier League stats leaderboard and impressing Thomas Tuchel ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
Earlier in the transfer window, there were rumors linking him to a move within London to Fulham, and Newcastle United would likely have the resources to consider him as well.
Could he take a “bet on me” six-month contract with a different club, perhaps for significantly lower wages? Crystal Palace emerges as another London possibility, while transferring to Spurs or Manchester United could be an intriguing option, marking a rare feat of playing for five of the six “Big Six” clubs (though we’re only half-serious about that).
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Sky Sports has mentioned Napoli as another potential destination for Sterling. The Serie A club has seen success with players from the Premier League, including Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne, Rasmus Hojlund, Romelu Lukaku, and Billy Gilmour. Ironically, Chelsea and Napoli are set to meet in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.