Raheem Sterling has rejected big-money offers from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United States, choosing instead to remain in London and wait for the January transfer window.
The 30-year-old forward, who is currently out of Chelsea’s main squad and training separately at Cobham, has made it clear that he does not want to uproot his young family from the capital.
Chelsea had explored exit options for him before the deadline day, but no deal went through. According to reports, Sterling was open to staying in England, preferably London, but talks with Fulham and interest from West Ham failed to result in a transfer.
Sterling is now part of Chelsea’s so-called “bomb squad” — a group of players left out of first-team plans. Among them is defender Axel Disasi, who also missed out on a move. With head coach Enzo Maresca unlikely to bring Sterling back into the fold, the forward faces at least four months on the sidelines until the transfer market reopens in January.
One extreme possibility would be Chelsea terminating Sterling’s contract, but this is seen as unlikely given the financial losses the club would incur.
Despite the setback, Sterling is determined to keep fit and continue pushing for a place in England’s squad for the 2026 World Cup. His priority in January will remain securing a move within London, though whether any club is ready to take that gamble is still uncertain.
