What happened to Raheem Sterling?: From City’s star to club regret
Chelsea’s forward and Arsenal’s loanee, Raheem Sterling. Photo Credit- The Independent
Raheem Sterling’s journey in football has been a rollercoaster of triumphs and tribulations. Once hailed as a cornerstone of Manchester City’s golden era under Pep Guardiola, Sterling’s career trajectory took a sharp downturn after his 2022 departure, leading to his current status as a perceived regret for both Chelsea and Arsenal. This piece is set to explore Sterling’s fall from grace, analyzing his peak at City, the missteps that followed, and the factors that transformed him from a magnificent winger to a symbol of unfulfilled potential.
The Manchester City rise
Sterling’s spell at Manchester City, starting with his £49 million transfer from Liverpool in 2015, marked the peak of his career. Over seven seasons, he amassed 131 goals and 94 assists in 339 appearances, helping City secure four Premier League titles, five League Cups, an FA Cup, and a Community Shield. His 2018/19 season was a masterclass; 25 goals and 15 assists across all competitions, earning him the PFA Young Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year awards. Under Guardiola, Sterling evolved from a raw talent into a lethal winger, his cutting-inside curlers and last-minute winners making him a legend of the club.
The beginning of Sterling decline
Sterling’s decline began in his final two seasons at City. The 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns saw his role diminish: 23 starts in 30 Premier League games in his last year, a clear opposite of his earlier consistency. Guardiola’s tactical shift to a false nine system, and the emergence of Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, relegated Sterling to a squad dropout. His goal tally dropped to 13 in 2021/22, and fans began to remember his misses: like one-on-one failures against goalkeepers more than his heroics. Social media posts from 2022 noted his frustration. In 2022 summer transfer, Sterling was moved to Chelsea for £47.5 million fee. His departure from City, though inevitable, marked the start of a downward spiral, as he left a system tailored to his strengths for an uncertain future.
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Sterling struggles in Chelsea
Sterling’s arrival at Chelsea in July 2022 was heralded as a big signing under new owner Todd Boehly. He started brightly, scoring a brace against Nottingham Forest in May 2023 and another against Luton Town in August 2023, totaling 8 goals and 8 assists in his first season. However, Chelsea’s instability with multiple managerial changes and a big squad hindered his integration. In a 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1, Sterling often played on the left wing, but the lack of a consistent striker left him isolated. His 2023/24 season dropped to 6 goals in 31 Premier League games, and by 2024/25, new manager Enzo Maresca saw him as a surplus, excluding him from the squad for the season opener against City. The club’s tactical disarray and Sterling’s inability to adapt coupled with his £300k weekly wages turned him into a financial burden, culminating in his loan to Arsenal in August 2024.
Sterling disastrous loan spell in Arsenal
Sterling’s loan to Arsenal, reuniting him with Arteta, promised a revival. Arteta, who had transformed Sterling into a goal-scoring winger at City, saw him as a crucial part of Arsenal’s attack, but the reality was far different. By May 2025, he had played 496 Premier League minutes across 10 appearances without a single goal, managing just 2 assists. A knee injury sidelined him for a month, and even after recovery, the fear of sustaining more injuries and tactical choices limited his minutes, often coming from the bench.
At a time when loan players like Antony (on loan to Real Betis) are becoming the darling of the club, Sterling struggled to displace Gabriel Martinelli on the left, and his 1.9 successful dribbles per 90 showed a loss of form. Fans on social media have expressed their frustration on the player with man calling it a “disastrous loan deal,” while critics suggested Sterling would have been better off at a “lesser club” to play regularly. Despite Chelsea covering 66% of his wages, Arsenal fans viewed the loan as a waste, with Sterling’s market value plummeting to €15m by May 2025, according to Transfermarkt.
What went wrong for Sterling
Sterling’s fall from grace comes from multiple factors. Tactical mismatches, personal form, and external pressures. At City, Guardiola’s system maximized his strengths and pace, quick interplay with players like Kevin De Bruyne but Chelsea’s lack of structure exposed his weaknesses, like inconsistent finishing. Arsenal’s high expectations and his physical decline as seen in his reduced speed, further diminished his impact. Off-field issues, like his public frustrations at both City and Chelsea, damaged his reputation.
The narrative of Sterling as a “club regret” is harsh but rooted in reality. Paul Merson’s 2022 warning that City might regret letting him go proved ironic. City thrived with Erling Haaland, while Sterling’s new clubs hold the regret. His £300k wages, declining output, and inability to adapt to new systems turned him into another example of a star who peaked too soon. However, Sterling’s early career, overcoming a tough childhood in London, his father’s murder, and gang culture, shows his resilience. At 30, there’s still time for redemption, perhaps in a league where regular minutes can reignite his spark.
Conclusion
Raheem Sterling’s journey from Manchester City’s magnificent winger to a club regret at Chelsea and Arsenal is a clear reminder of football’s unforgiving nature. His 131 goals for City, four Premier League titles, and individual awards once made him a global star, but tactical misfits, diminishing form, and poor decisions have cast a shadow over his legacy. As his Arsenal loan ends and his Chelsea contract runs until 2027, Sterling stands at a crossroads. Can he reclaim his magic, or will he remain a symbol of fans’ frustration and club’s regrets. For now, his fall serves as a big lesson for many on talent and circumstance.
