Raheem Sterling is set to depart Feyenoord at the conclusion of the current Eredivisie season after the Rotterdam club confirmed it will not pursue a contract extension for the former Manchester City and Chelsea winger. The 31-year-old England international arrived in February on a short-term deal but has failed to secure a regular starting role, making only 333 minutes of league appearances since his high-profile move to De Kuip.
According to reports from Dutch media outlet Algemeen Dagblad, Feyenoord’s hierarchy has ruled out any discussion of a longer stay despite initial suggestions from head coach Robin van Persie that an extension could be considered. Van Persie had acknowledged upon Sterling’s arrival that a longer contract might be open for discussion, but the club’s leadership has since reversed that position based on the player’s underwhelming output during his brief spell in Rotterdam.
Sterling’s Feyenoord wages, revealed following his shock free-agent move in February, represent a significant reduction from his Premier League earnings. At Chelsea, he was earning approximately £325,000 per week under a lucrative five-year contract signed in July 2022. His move to Feyenoord came after mutually terminating his Stamford Bridge deal, making him a free agent in January 2026 before joining the Eredivisie side.
Despite acknowledging his peripheral role and maintaining professionalism in training, Sterling has not demonstrated the top-level quality required to convince Feyenoord officials to extend his contract. The Algemeen Dagblad reported that although Sterling worked extremely hard in training and in a recent friendly against Excelsior, his lack of impact on the pitch made a permanent deal impossible.
The winger has accepted his limited involvement and remains determined to give his all until his farewell as a Feyenoord player on May 17, when the current Eredivisie campaign concludes. Feyenoord currently sits second in the league table but trails runaway leaders PSV by 17 points, meaning Sterling’s final weeks will be focused on helping the club secure a Champions League qualification spot rather than personal accolades.
Sterling’s career trajectory has taken him from Queens Park Rangers youth ranks to Liverpool, where he won the Golden Boy award in 2014, before his £49 million move to Manchester City in 2015 — then a record fee for an English player. He helped City win back-to-back Premier League titles in 2017–18 and 2018–19, earning inclusion in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year and winning both the PFA Young Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year awards in 2018–19. After two further Premier League titles with City in 2020–21 and 2021–22, he joined Chelsea in July 2022 before his loan spell at Arsenal during the 2024–25 season.
Internationally, Sterling earned 82 caps for England between 2012 and 2022, scoring 20 goals and representing his country at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2020, where England finished as runners-up. He also won the UEFA Nations League with England in 2019.
As Sterling prepares to exit Feyenoord, the club will now turn its attention to identifying potential replacements for the attacking position ahead of the 2026–27 season. His departure marks the end of a short-lived experiment that failed to yield the desired impact despite the player’s evident work ethic and professional attitude throughout his time in Rotterdam.
The next confirmed checkpoint for Feyenoord is their final Eredivisie match of the season on May 17, where they will aim to conclude their campaign on a positive note despite Sterling’s impending departure. Fans and analysts alike will be watching to notice how the team performs in his absence during the closing stages of the league race.
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