The 31-year-old is now a free agent, despite having 18 months remaining on a deal that made him one of the club's highest earners on a reported 325,000 pounds a week. Chelsea confirmed the decision on Wednesday, saying: "We thank Raheem for the contribution he made while a Chelsea player and wish him well for the next stage in his career."

Sterling joined Chelsea from Manchester City for 47.5 million pounds in before the 2022/2023 season, becoming the first men's signing under the club's current ownership following Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital's takeover. He went on to make 81 appearances across all competitions, scoring 19 goals.

However, his role diminished significantly over the past year. Sterling last played a competitive match for Chelsea in May 2024 and spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Arsenal, where he struggled to revive his form. Upon returning to Chelsea, he was frozen out of first-team plans and trained separately at the club's Cobham base.

With no prospect of reintegration under new head coach Liam Rosenior and Chelsea eager to remove his salary from the wage bill, discussions were held this week that led all parties to conclude an early separation was the best solution.

Several clubs, including Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli and Fulham, had explored potential moves in recent windows, while West Ham and Crystal Palace also previously monitored his situation. Sterling made it clear he was only open to a permanent transfer, prioritising stability for his family and career.

Now free to negotiate directly with clubs, Sterling is understood to prefer remaining in London but is open to offers from both England and abroad. A former Liverpool academy product, he has won 13 major trophies, earned 82 England caps and was awarded an MBE in 2021.

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