Raheem Sterling says Chelsea have restored his happiness for football after he was left “excited and furious” by how his Manchester City career ended.
Sterling completed a £47.5m move to Stamford Bridge in July after seven trophy-laden seasons in Manchester, where he scored 131 goals in 339 appearances and won four Premier League titles, four League Cups and an FA Cup.
In his final season at the Etihad Stadium, the 27-year-old England international featured 30 times in City’s title-winning campaign, but just 23 of those were starts, leading Sterling to conclude that their sacrifices were not reciprocated.
“Everyone wants to feel wanted, football is no different,” Sterling exclusively told Geoff Shreeves ahead of Chelsea. super sunday trip to Leeds United – live Sky Sports.
“When you play your heart out, sacrifice some of your kids’ birthdays, and then they treat you a certain way, it’s disappointing.
“At the time I was furious, furious, but it’s gone, it’s in the past and I can only focus on the present, which is now, here at Chelsea, and the opportunity I have here to go out and show my talent. again.”
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Pressed on the biggest factors behind his decision to swap Manchester City for Chelsea, Sterling said: “Misunderstandings, contracts running out. It was a shame to see it end in the end because I had a great time there .
“A lot of things came into play, a lot of reasons, but I wasn’t complaining, I was up for the challenge and as you can see, even with some of the performances I put in, you couldn’t guarantee a place, so there was no point fight a battle you can never win.”
Sterling: I got my happiness back
Sterling made 23 Premier League starts in his final season under Pep Guardiola at Man City
Asked if he had reached the point where, having given his all, his situation at Manchester City had become untenable and it was time to leave, Sterling replied: “Yes, it was literally that.”
He continued: “As a player, you always want to give your best and help your team, but when you think things aren’t going your way, it’s always a disappointment.
“If you’re not happy playing your football, you have to look for other options to get that happiness back, and that’s exactly what I did. It was the right time for me to move on. I wouldn’t stay part of something that I knew I couldn’t give it all.
“This [City] it’s a great club, it’s a club that wins a lot of trophies, it’s a club that’s helped me develop a lot in the last two years, but there comes a time when you have to think about yourself, what’s best for yourself , and what you want for the future. That’s the only reason I’m here [at Chelsea].”
Sterling: Chelsea move ‘a blessing in disguise’
FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham in the Premier League
The move to Chelsea saw Sterling become new owner Todd Boehly’s first signing at Stamford Bridge, and the striker revealed proof the club was delivering on its promises convinced him it was the club for him.
“It was their intention, how they approached me,” Sterling explained. “I wasn’t hearing promises, I was seeing action and I think that was one of the factors that really made me think about the football club, the way they showed me how important a role I could play here.
“Looking back at what they’ve achieved here the last two years, the finals they missed, the new owner taking over, it’s a team that’s always competing on all fronts and I knew it was only going to get better. I didn’t. I didn’t. another choice must be made.
“It was a chance I wasn’t going to pass up. It’s a blessing in disguise, it’s another challenge and a challenge that I’ll look back on at the end of my career and know that I’ve stepped up to the plate and I can be happy with myself.
“The biggest part was playing football week in and week out. It was the first time in my career that I experienced that, it was kind of a shock so I just wanted to get back to playing and enjoying my football again. It was as simple as that, and I knew that once I could do that, I could be happy and prove it on the field.”
