Raheem Sterling Leaves Chelsea By Mutual Consent After Three-and-a-Half Seasons

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Raheem Sterling has left Chelsea after an agreement to cancel the contract early, ending a difficult spell. The forward, aged 31, had 18 months remaining on his Stamford Bridge deal, but Chelsea and Sterling chose to part, following limited opportunities and an unsuccessful loan period.

Sterling originally joined Chelsea from Manchester City in 2022 for a reported £47.5m fee. Across all competitions, Sterling played 81 matches for Chelsea, starting 62, scoring 19 goals and adding 12 assists, but the role steadily reduced under the current coaching staff.

A club statement read: Raheem Sterling has today departed Chelsea Football Club by mutual agreement, bringing to an end three-and-a-half seasons as our player, having signed in the summer of 2022 when he was transferred from Manchester City. We thank Raheem for the contribution he made while a Chelsea player and wish him well for the next stage in his career.

Sterling spent the 2024-25 season on loan with Arsenal, but the spell did not progress as hoped. Sterling struggled to influence matches under Mikel Arteta and returned to Chelsea, where Enzo Maresca did not include Sterling in the first-team group.

Once back at Chelsea, Sterling trained away from Maresca’s main squad in the so-called bomb squad after no transfer was finalised during the summer window. Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen both considered moves, while a proposed transfer to Fulham also failed to go through.

Raheem Sterling Chelsea future and career context

Sterling’s exit closes a Chelsea chapter that began with high expectations in 2022. The spell brought regular minutes at first, then a reduced role and eventual exclusion. The mutual agreement now allows Sterling to choose the next club while Chelsea continue reshaping Maresca’s squad.