Raheem Sterling Joins Feyenoord After Chelsea Exit
Former Chelsea and Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling has signed with Dutch club Feyenoord on a deal through the end of the season, the club announced on February 12, 2026. The move comes after Sterling reached a mutual agreement to depart Chelsea in January.
The 31-year-old England international was a free agent and had been considering numerous options before choosing Feyenoord, currently second in the Eredivisie table. Feyenoord is managed by former Manchester United and Arsenal striker Robin van Persie.
“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,” Sterling said. “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.”
He continued, “Having spoken in great detail with 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.”
Van Persie expressed his enthusiasm about the signing, stating, “Naturally it’s a fantastic feat that we’ve managed to convince a player of Raheem’s calibre to sign with us.” He added, “His football resume speaks for itself: he’s a player whose qualities can change the outcome of a game 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.”
Sterling’s departure from Chelsea followed a difficult period where he was removed from the first-team squad by then-manager Enzo Maresca. Prior to his time at Chelsea, Sterling had a loan spell with Arsenal and previously enjoyed a successful career with Liverpool and Manchester City, winning four Premier League titles with City. The Guardian reports that Sterling hadn’t played a competitive match since the end of the previous season.
Around 18 clubs across England and Europe reportedly expressed interest in acquiring the experienced winger, but Sterling ultimately opted for the challenge of playing in the Netherlands. AP News notes that his move to Chelsea in 2022 did not meet expectations, with 19 goals scored in 81 appearances.
Feyenoord currently trails league leaders PSV by 17 points, and the addition of Sterling is expected to bolster their attack as they push for a strong finish to the season.
