On the eve of the last European Championship, there is a vital debate about Raheem Sterling.
As one of manager Gareth Southgate’s most trusted lieutenants, there was no doubt he would be included in the squad, however there were cries for the then Manchester City star to be sacked after a combined season.
In the end, the England manager ignored the clamour for Jack Grealish to take his place and justified his decision.
Sterling played a prominent role as a complex for the Three Lions until the final by scoring 3 goals, adding winners over Croatia and Germany.
However, Jack Grealish’s brilliant form that had propelled his star into the sky caught the attention of his usual employer, Manchester City, and, after the tournament was over, the rivals for a starting position in the foreign forward were forced to face each other in a more normal way.
From the start of the following season, rumours were consistent about Sterling’s displeasure and, with two years remaining on his contract, little progress on a long-term deal that would tie him to the club.
“Everyone should feel loved, football is no different,” Sterling told Sky Sports after his move.
“When you play hard, sacrifice some of your children’s birthdays and then treat you in a safe way, it’s disappointing.
“At that moment I was angry, but it’s over, it’s in the afterlife and I can only focus on the present, which is now, here at Chelsea, and the opportunity I have here to faint and show my talents. . . again. “
When asked the reasons for his departure, Sterling spared no effort.
“Misunderstandings, expired contracts. It’s a shame to see how it ended because I had a great time there,” he added.
“A lot of things came into play, a lot of reasons, but I’m not complaining, I’m in a position to challenge and, as you can see, even with some of the performances I did, you couldn’t be sure. “one like that there was no point in fighting a war that you can never win. “
It’s no secret that Manchester City were looking for Sterling to stay, he might not have been the starting striker anymore, but they liked him.
However, the definitive Londoner. He needed to leave.
“If you’re not satisfied playing football, you have to look for other characteristics to regain that happiness, and that’s precisely what I did. It’s the right time to move on. I knew I couldn’t give it my all,” he said.
“City is a club, it’s a club that wins a lot of trophies, it’s a club that has helped me a lot to grow in recent years, but there comes a time when you have to think about yourself. What’s more productive for you, you and what you need for the future. That’s the only explanation for why I’m here [in Chelsea].
Unfortunately, for many reasons, many of which are beyond its control, it proved disastrous.
It’s how far Sterling’s star has fallen, because when he was left out of Gareth Southgate’s provisional squad for Euro 2024, there was little surprise or consternation.
Sterling could have started and scored in Chelsea’s final game of the season against Bournemouth, but in the weeks leading up to it, when the Blues had noticed a significant improvement in his form, he was not a starter for the club.
The lack of time to bet had not been decisive three years earlier. However, having not been part of any team since the 2022 World Cup, this time was different.
When asked in March if “the door is still open” for the pound internationally, Southgate’s response was uncomforting.
“It’s not closed,” he replied, before adding: “We have to say that right now at Chelsea, Cole is the one who starts each and every game and they leave. With Anthony Gordon’s form, with goals scored through Bowen, he has a fight on his hands. We know what Bukayo [Saka] and Phil [Foden] have done over a long period of time.
When he turns 30, Sterling finds himself at a crossroads, hoping for a change of fortunes with Chelsea’s new manager, but even some pundits are notably pleading with him to move to a team in the bottom half of the Premier League.
It’s a question of what would have happened if Sterling had signed a new contract with City or waited 12 months and selected from a variety of groups for a flexible transfer.
But his career would probably be much longer if he had to decide on a team other than Chelsea.
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