Sterling joins Feyenoord until end of season

Former Chelsea and Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling has joined Dutch club Feyenoord on a deal until the end of the season.

The England international left Chelsea by mutual consent in January after agreeing a settlement package with the Stamford Bridge club over the final 18 months of his contract, worth in excess of £300,000-per-week.

Sterling, 31, has spent time discussing numerous options, but joined Feyenoord, who are second in the Eredivisie table and managed by 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.»

Sources told BBC Sport that around 18 clubs in England and across Europe expressed an interest in Sterling.

The opportunity to play in a competitive league, to help Feyenoord achieve Champions League qualification and Van Persie’s vision for his role in the team persuaded the forward to move to Holland.