Raheem Sterling faces an uncertain future at Chelseaplaceholder image
Raheem Sterling faces an uncertain future at Chelsea | Getty Images/ Canva
Leeds United and Wolves could delve into the free agent market as they look to add vital experience to their teams
Four-time Premier League winner and 86-cap England international Raheem Sterling currently finds himself at a crossroads in his career, as Chelsea weigh up whether to terminate the 30-year-old’s contract nearly two years before it’s due to expire.
It’s the latest development in the former Manchester City winger’s rapid fall from grace, and a stark reminder at just how quickly the perception of an elite footballer can change in the modern game.
Cast your minds back just three years ago, and Sterling was welcomed into Stamford Bridge for £47.5m as the first Chelsea signing of the Todd Boehly era while being hailed by manager Thomas Tuchel at the time as his ‘number one’ transfer priority, with most experts being stunned at Pep Guardiola’s decision to sell the footballer, who seemed to be in the prime years of his career, to a direct title rival.
Before signing for Chelsea, Sterling had slipped down the pecking order behind Julian Alvarez, but was still seen as a force to be reckoned with. He had hit double figures for goals in all of his last five league seasons at the Etihad, and had arguably been England’s best player at the European Championships in 2021. He remains to this day the fourth highest scoring player managed by Pep Guardiola across all his clubs behind only Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Sergio Aguero.
What went wrong for Raheem Sterling at Chelsea?
Sterling arrived at Chelsea to great fanfare but never got close to achieving the heights many expected of him. He scored three times in his first five matches while playing as a makeshift centre forward, but a combination of managerial changes, injuries and a calamitous season on the whole for the Blues, meant he finished the season with just six league goals and nine across all competitions. He showed signs of a mini-revival in the 2023/24 season under Mauricio Pochettino with eight goals and seven assists, but his form dipped heavily during the mid-point of the season.
From the moment Enzo Maresca arrived, it became increasingly clear that Chelsea’s model no longer had a place for an ageing Sterling. He said in 2024: “I spoke with Raheem before the City game. I said he is going to struggle to get minutes with us and this is the reason why he is out of the squad.”
Sterling spent last season on loan at Arsenal in what appeared to be a dream reunion with Mikel Arteta. However, things never panned out for the former England international as he failed to score a single top-flight goal in 17 appearances, with just seven of his starts coming from the bench.
What next for Raheem Sterling?
According to Football Insider, Chelsea are weighing up whether to cut their losses on Raheem Sterling and agree to mutually terminate the England international’s contract. Ultimately, part of the power lies with Sterling, who is still contracted to the club for two more seasons while reportedly pocketing £325,000 per week, which is the highest in Chelsea’s first team squad. A deal to end Sterling’s contract early could cost the club around £10m, but it’s a move that could potentially take place to free up space in their squad, and allow the former Man City favourite to resume his career rather than rotting away in the bomb squad.
If Sterling is to re-enter the market as a free agent, there’s no doubt there'll be no shortage of suitors. However, the next move he makes is likely to be career defining, and it’s almost impossible to see him earning anywhere near his current wage, given his output over the last three seasons. Sterling was heavily linked with a move to Fulham but they’ve not strengthened their right-winger options by signing AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze on loan to compete, with Adama Traore for a place on the right-wing and club-record signing Kevin to compete with Alex Iwobi, meaning there’s no longer really a need for a winger at the club.
This means Sterling could find himself relocating to a club potentially facing a relegation battle, with numerous reports claiming that he’s not interested in pursuing a career in the Middle East at this stage.
One potential option could be newly-promoted side Leeds United. They splashed out around upwards of £100m to strengthen Daniel Farke's squad for the demands of Premier League, but arguably still lack of a wealth of top-flight experience and players that can find the net on a regular basis. Sterling could give the club that by operating as a right-winger to provide competition to Dan James or also featuring as a make-shift centre forward, with his movement in the final third still troubling defences.
Another club that could benefit from Sterling’s services could be Wolves. The Old Gold lost Matheus Cunha over the summer to Manchester City and perhaps lack a little something in the final third, with Jorgen Strand Larsen being the only player still at the club to hit double figures last season.
Sterling could potentially slot well into one of the two No.10 positions and may benefit from the extra space in behind that he might get from playing at Wolves, with many defences pressing higher up the pitch against them than they did against both Chelsea and Arsenal. Ultimately, whatever happens Sterling faces a period which is likely to define the remainder of his career and any hope of him one day returning to the England set-up.
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