Chelsea have confirmed that Raheem Sterling has officially left the club by mutual agreement, bringing an end to a disappointing spell at Stamford Bridge as the winger looks for a fresh start in the January transfer window.
The former England international departs after three-and-a-half seasons with the Blues, with his final competitive outing for the club dating back to May 2024.
In a statement announcing his exit, Chelsea said, “Raheem Sterling has today departed Chelsea Football Club by mutual agreement, bringing to an end three-and-a-half seasons as our player, having signed in the summer of 2022 when he was transferred from Manchester City.
“We thank Raheem for the contribution he made while a Chelsea player and wish him well for the next stage in his career.”
Sterling’s departure marks a sharp contrast to the optimism that greeted his arrival in 2022, when then-manager Thomas Tuchel hailed the signing as a major boost to the squad.
At the time, Tuchel said, “It was the number one priority and we are very excited and super happy that we could make it happen. He’s a big improvement to our squad and is exactly what we were looking for in terms of age, experience, and style of play.
“Once the players arrive these days in a situation where they only have one year [left on their] contract, there’s always room for negotiation and possibility. We went for it. We could convince him very quickly. He was convinced, he did everything that was needed to do, we gave our best to make it happen. It’s a perfect fit.
“He gives us a lot of flexibility, mobility and attacking options at the front.”
However, Sterling’s Chelsea career quickly unraveled. He was later relegated to the club’s so-called “bomb squad” under former boss Enzo Maresca, sliding rapidly down the pecking order.
A loan move to Arsenal during the 2024/25 season failed to revive his fortunes, as he struggled to make an impact in north London before returning to Chelsea in the summer, despite the deal involving no loan fee.
He has not featured at all this season and now exits the club permanently.
Speaking after taking over as Chelsea manager, Liam Rosenior offered only a brief comment on Sterling’s situation, saying, “I’ve said what I’ve had to say on Raheem. He’s a player I have massive respect for. Huge respect for as a person and what he’s achieved in the game. Now is not the right time to speak about his situation.”
According to The Athletic, Sterling had been training away from the first team for much of the campaign, despite earning a reported salary of over £300,000 per week. Maresca, while still in charge, addressed the situation bluntly when questioned.
He said, “My father is 75 years old and for 50 years he has been a fisherman, working from two o’clock in the morning to 10 o’clock in the morning,” Maresca said. “This is sad in life, not a player and the way that they work.
“I’ve been in Raheem’s situation and Axel’s situation as a player and for sure I know that it’s not the best feeling for a player because you want to train and play and then, for a different reason, the situation is the situation. I know that the club is giving them the opportunity to work in the right way and this is the only thing I can say.
“It’s not just Chelsea, it’s any club in the world, I can promise you. Italy, Spain, England, France, USA, Brazil, any club in the world … when, for any reason, the player and the club doesn’t find any solution and you give the player all the tools to do training sessions and do everything. But if you are not involved in the squad, you are not involved in the squad.”
Meanwhile, The Guardian reported that the Professional Footballers’ Association investigated claims that Sterling was required to train as late as 8pm, a schedule said to be particularly challenging for the father of four.
