Exiled Sterling leaves Chelsea by mutual agreement

England winger Raheem Sterling has left Chelsea by mutual agreement, the Premier League club said on Wednesday, after the 31-year-old was frozen out of the squad before and after a loan move at Arsenal last season.

Sterling joined Chelsea from Manchester City – where he won four Premier League titles – in a deal worth 50 million pounds ($69 million) in July 2022 on a five-year contract, but the move turned sour with the arrival of Enzo Maresca as manager in 2024.

Maresca made it clear that Sterling was not the type of winger he was looking for, and the player trained apart from the first team before joining Arsenal on loan. Sterling returned to Chelsea having failed to impress Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

Sterling was again exiled from the senior squad, and while new manager Liam Rosenior said he would speak with him, the situation remained unchanged.

“We thank Raheem for the contribution he made while a Chelsea player and wish him well for the next stage in his career,” Chelsea said in a statement.

Sterling, who began his career at Liverpool, has made 82 appearances for England scoring 20 goals but has not played for his country since the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.