Raheem Sterling signs short-term deal with Dutch club Feyenoord: Details
What's the story
Former Chelsea and Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling has signed a deal with Dutch club Feyenoord until the end of the season. The 31-year-old England international left Chelsea by mutual consent in January after agreeing on a settlement package worth over £300,000-per-week for the final 18 months of his contract. This is a crucial move for Sterling, who will be hungry for game time not having featured this season.
New beginnings
'As a free agent, I've had the opportunity...'
Sterling has joined Feyenoord, who are currently second in the Eredivisie table and coached by former Manchester United and Arsenal striker Robin van Persie. Speaking about his decision to join the Dutch club, Sterling said, "As a free agent, I've had, for the first time in a long time, the opportunity to control the next step." He emphasized wanting to take his time discussing potential roles with clubs and coaches before making a decision.
Trust
Van Persie welcomes Sterling to Feyenoord
Sterling expressed confidence that Feyenoord would be a place where he could be happy and make a meaningful contribution. He also spoke highly of Van Persie, saying he was ready to embrace the challenge of playing abroad. "Honestly, I'm just excited to get started," Sterling added. Van Persie also welcomed Sterling with open arms, calling it a "fantastic feat" to have convinced such a high-caliber player to join them.
Sterling
RVP expresses confidence in Sterling
Van Persie praised Sterling's football resume, saying he's a player whose qualities can change the outcome of a game. He expressed confidence that Sterling would be a valuable addition to the team as they work toward their goals for the rest of this season. The opportunity to play in a competitive league and help Feyenoord qualify for the Champions League were major factors in Sterling's decision to move to Holland.
Stats
A look at Sterling's club career stats
Sterling started his career with Liverpool. He scored 23 goals in 129 matches. Thereafter, he moved to Manchester City and scored 131 times in 339 matches. He was signed by Chelsea next and he scored 19 times in 81 appearances across two seasons. He was loaned out to Arsenal in 2024-25. He scored once in 28 matches.
Twitter Post
Signed!
🏴 Raheem Sterling = 🟥⬜️⬛️ pic.twitter.com/8O6baKjh0a
— Feyenoord Rotterdam (@Feyenoord) February 12, 2026