Raheem Sterling has joined Feyenoord on a deal running until the end of the season.
The 31-year-old winger left Chelsea by mutual agreement at the end of January following a period of limbo at the club, which saw him play his last competitive fixture for the Blues in May 2024.
He spent last season on loan with Arsenal and had been training alone at Chelsea during this season before his departure, which ended a three-and-a-half year stint at Stamford Bridge following his arrival from Manchester City in 2022.
Sterling now joins Dutch side Feyenoord – led by former Arsenal, Manchester United and Netherlands striker Robin Van Persie – as a free agent with the team second in the Eredivisie.
Speaking about his move, Sterling told the Feyenoord website: “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 CEO Dennis te Kloese and Robin, 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. To Feyenoord and particularly Robin and Dennis, thank you for your patience and professionalism as I navigated this process.”
Sterling has won 82 England caps, with his last appearance coming at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and has won four Premier League titles.
Van Persie added: “Naturally it’s a fantastic feat that we’ve managed to convince a player of Raheem’s calibre to sign with us.
“His football resume speaks for itself: he’s a player whose qualities can change the outcome of a game without a doubt and I am convinced he will turn out to be a valuable addition to the team as we work towards achieving our goals in the second half of this season.”
