Feyenoord Rotterdam has announced the signing of Raheem Sterling. The former England striker was recently without a club and has signed with Feyenoord until the end of the season.
“As a free agent, I had the opportunity to determine the next step in my career myself for the first time in a long time,” said Raheem Sterling in a statement from the Rotterdam club, explaining that it was important for him to find out what the respective coaches were planning and “what role they had in mind for me” before signing. After extensive discussions with Robin van Persie, I am convinced that Feyenoord is a place where I can be happy and establish myself as a valued member of the team.“
In Rotterdam, there are high expectations for the new signing, whose qualities are undisputed. ”His footballing CV speaks for itself: He is a player whose qualities can undoubtedly change the outcome of a game – and I am convinced that he will prove to be a valuable addition to the team,“ said coach van Persie about the 31-year-old, praising his employer’s transfer coup: ”It is a fantastic achievement that we were able to convince a player of Raheem’s caliber to sign with us.”
A new start in the Netherlands
For Sterling, the move to the Netherlands also means a new start after his career had recently taken a serious downturn. Since joining Chelsea FC, the striker had been unable to build on the strong performances that had previously distinguished him at Manchester City. In the summer of 2025, Sterling was even relegated to the Blues’ U21 team before a contract termination was agreed at the end of January, ending one of the biggest misunderstandings in Chelsea’s recent history.
After that, his search for a new club began, with the Englishman reportedly also being offered a place at Union Berlin. However, the Köpenick club did not pursue the matter further, partly because Sterling would have completely blown the wage structure at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. The 31-year-old has now found a home in Rotterdam. It is also his first move abroad. “Playing abroad is a whole new challenge for me—a challenge I am happy to take on. I’m just excited to get started.”
Upward trajectory at Liverpool and ManCity, downward trajectory at Chelsea FC
Trained at Queens Park Rangers, Sterling made his breakthrough at Liverpool FC. He quickly rose to prominence with the Reds, playing 113 games and scoring 18 goals in four seasons (2011-2015). His move to Manchester City heralded his best spell to date: between 2015 and 2022, he won four championships and scored 115 goals in 293 games. During this time, he was also a regular member of the English national team, for which he scored 20 goals in 82 international matches. At Euro 2021, when the Three Lions reached the final, he shone with three goals in seven games. However, Sterling’s fortunes took a turn for the worse when he moved to Chelsea FC in the summer of 2022. He was under contract with the Blues for three and a half years, but only played in his first two seasons (68 games, 17 goals). In 2024/25, he was loaned to Arsenal, for whom he made 23 appearances but ultimately failed to score. After his return to Stamford Bridge, there was no longer any place for him in London. However, there is said to be a place for the striker at Feyenoord.
