Raheem Sterling has joined Feyenoord for the remainder of the season after terminating his contract with Chelsea via mutual consent, and one Liverpool legend has given his take on the Kirkby graduate
Raheem Sterling looks on
Raheem Sterling has signed for Feyenoord(Image: PA)
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Dirk Kuyt has claimed that while he "didn't like" Raheem Sterling at Liverpool, he cannot deny the forward's talent in abundance. After making his way through the youth setups of Alpha & Omega and Queens Park Rangers, Sterling arrived on Merseyside in 2010.
After spending a further two years developing in the youth setup of Kirkby, the winger signed his first professional contract with the Reds in 2012. What followed was an emphatic three-year run at Anfield, in which Sterling racked up 23 goals and 18 assists from 123 appearances.
Kuyt was part and parcel of the first-team while Sterling was still in his formative years with the club, with the Dutchman getting to know the then up and coming talent in and around the club. And while the 45-year-old was impressed by his abilities on the field, his overall opinion on Sterling changed when he made the move to Manchester City in 2015.
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Speaking to ESPN, the now FC Dordrecht manager said: "That was quite a few years ago, he was 16 then. We trained together a few times and played a few matches.
"Ultimately, I didn't like him that much because he quickly moved to a big rival. But Raheem Sterling, of course, is considered a fantastic player in English football with a tremendous record."
Despite thriving with the Sky Blues over a trophy-laden seven-year span, in which he snagged four Premier League titles and an FA Cup, Sterling ultimately made the move to Chelsea in 2022 to take on a new challenge. While he initially impressed under Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino, he was deemed surplus to requirements by Enzo Maresca when he arrived in 2024.
A less than fruitful loan spell with Arsenal ensued for the duration of 2024/25, with Sterling doing very little to convince Mikel Arteta to make the move permanent at the end. And given Maresca was still at the helm at Stamford Bridge upon his return, he once more found himself exiled from the first-team.
Just four days before the end of the January transfer window, Sterling had his contract with Chelsea terminated via mutual consent, as he looked to find a new club for the remainder of 2025/26. With very little interest generating from Premier League clubs, Sterling remained a free agent as the window slammed shut, his future in the game at the age of 31 still very much in speculation.
However, the news broke on Thursday that Sterling had joined Feyenoord for the rest of the Eredivisie season, as he looks to revitalise his career on Dutch soil. And while he may not hold the highest opinion of the player on a personal level, Kuyt has explained that he can see Sterling thriving with De Trots van Zuid.
Dirk Kuyt runs with the ball
Dirk Kuyt "didn't like" Raheem Sterling(Image: Liverpool Echo)
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He added: "In football, you have to expect everything, even the unexpected. It's great for Feyenoord that such a player is coming to the Netherlands. We saw that with Jordan Henderson back when he played for our rivals (Ajax).
He continued: "I hope he shows what I still cherish. Even though he hasn't played for a while. I always say, 'You never lose certain qualities,' so if he's fit, I'm looking forward to Feyenoord's matches. I watch all of them anyway, so now with even more interest."
Speaking about the next stage of his career, meanwhile, Sterling explained: "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 [Van Persie], 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."
Up next for Feyenoord is a league clash with Go Ahead Eagles on Sunday, February 15. Whether Van Persie will opt to integrate Sterling into his first-team so quickly, given he was only announced as signing on Thursday, remains to be seen.
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