Former Chelsea and Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling has signed with Dutch side Feyenoord on a contract running until the end of the season.
The England international parted ways with Chelsea by mutual consent in January, agreeing on a settlement over the remaining 18 months of his contract, reportedly worth more than £300,000 per week.
At 31, Sterling explored several options before joining Feyenoord, who sit second in the Eredivisie under the management of 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,” he said.
“In my career. 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.
“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.”
Feyenoord are 17 points behind league leaders PSV and Van Persie added: “Naturally it’s a fantastic feat that we’ve managed to convince a player of Raheem’s calibre to sign with us.
“His football resume speaks for itself: he’s a player whose qualities can change the outcome of a game without a doubt, 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.”