Raheem Sterling's time at Chelsea has been marked by disappointment, despite being hailed as a marquee signing when he joined in 2022. The winger, who won four Premier League titles with Manchester City and had undoubted pedigree, struggled to find his form and fitness after Graham Potter was replaced by Mauricio Pochettino.
Sterling's departure from Chelsea represents a significant financial saving for the club, but his time at Stamford Bridge has been marred by a lack of stability and inconsistency. He was regularly injured and had his wages reduced by ยฃ50,000-a-week before being relieved of his contract in an amicable parting.
The question now is whether Sterling can revive his career, despite being 31 years old. While some clubs have shown interest, none have been convinced to make a move yet. Napoli's sporting director, Giovanni Manna, has said that Sterling is "very strong" but hasn't played for a long time, adding that his significant financial expectations may be off-putting.
Sterling himself has not ruled out leaving London and moving abroad, as he seeks to reinvigorate his career. But whatever comes next will have to be right for him and his family, who have been affected by burglaries at their home since he joined Chelsea.
Ultimately, Sterling's story is one without winners โ the club gets a financial windfall, but loses out on the player's potential contributions. Meanwhile, Sterling must now hope that it's not too late to turn his career around and make up for lost time.
Sterling's departure from Chelsea represents a significant financial saving for the club, but his time at Stamford Bridge has been marred by a lack of stability and inconsistency. He was regularly injured and had his wages reduced by ยฃ50,000-a-week before being relieved of his contract in an amicable parting.
The question now is whether Sterling can revive his career, despite being 31 years old. While some clubs have shown interest, none have been convinced to make a move yet. Napoli's sporting director, Giovanni Manna, has said that Sterling is "very strong" but hasn't played for a long time, adding that his significant financial expectations may be off-putting.
Sterling himself has not ruled out leaving London and moving abroad, as he seeks to reinvigorate his career. But whatever comes next will have to be right for him and his family, who have been affected by burglaries at their home since he joined Chelsea.
Ultimately, Sterling's story is one without winners โ the club gets a financial windfall, but loses out on the player's potential contributions. Meanwhile, Sterling must now hope that it's not too late to turn his career around and make up for lost time.