EPL: Why I left Man City for Chelsea – Raheem Sterling

After returning to his hometown of London as a “mature adult, Raheem Sterling has promised to be an outspoken leader at Chelsea.

The 27-year-old, who had highly successful stints with Liverpool and Manchester City, is now back residing in London for the first time in more than ten years in away.

Sterling explained that his decision to move to Chelsea for £47.5 million was motivated by his inability to accept Manchester City’s offer of restricted playing time as he neared the pinnacle of his career.

I just felt my time at City was getting restricted in terms of playing time for a variety of reasons, so I made the move, like anything as a person you aspire to achieve, stated Sterling.

I have to use that time wisely. So I needed to maintain that level while still facing a new obstacle. Since I’ve been a regular starter since I was 17, I wouldn’t tolerate not playing frequently when my career is at its height.

My nature is to struggle and try to alter the situation, but it didn’t work out and that’s that. This was the choice that was most suited to my needs, those of my family, and the direction the club was headed.

It’s a team that’s in competition and will only get stronger. It made a lot of sense, especially with the new ownership.

It was difficult, of course, because I spent a lot of time at City and had many great memories of my time there.

However, over the year and a half that I spent on and off the team, I learned a lot about myself, came to value a lot of things, and made an effort to organize my life.

Even if it was a difficult choice, you must act in your own best interests. I’ve been away for a long time, since I was 14 or 15, but it does seem like going home, to London.

Sterling, who was reared in London but was born in Jamaica, originally made his name and carved a successful career at Liverpool before moving on to City.

With four Premier League titles to his name, the quick forward returns to London after being the primary priority of new Chelsea owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital at the beginning of the summer.

The 77-cap England striker shared Thomas Tuchel’s admiration for his direct attacking threat, saying the Chelsea manager was eager to see Sterling push the Blues forward with the ball at his feet.

I feel like I’m returning to London as an adult after travelling up to Liverpool, Manchester, playing at City, and living the dream.

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I’ve been playing football for a while now, and I have my head screwed on straight. I know exactly what I want out of life and from the game. Therefore, now is the ideal time to return.

“There’s a part of me that’s growing inside the dressing room and at the football club that I’d like to see a lot more of, and that’s to be more involved in choices in the dressing room, to be more vocal, and to try to drive the team forward.”

I believe Tuchel told me it was my overbearing directness, constantly threatening to approach from behind and not always wanting to approach from the front.

The conversation there was about how I attack the box, which is what matters most. With the full-backs we have here, he said that’s the one thing he wants to see a lot more of.

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