Raheem Sterling to earn good money in choice between Turkey and Saudi Arabia for Chelsea exit - expert
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Credit: Imago
Ben Palmer
Tue 2 September 2025 19:36, UK
Raheem Sterling’s options to leave Chelsea are dwindling after failing to secure a deadline day exit.
That is the view of football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that the England international would be handsomely compensated if he ends up moving to the Saudi Pro League to the Super Lig.
Sterling had been linked with both West Ham and Fulham, and was keen to remain in London this summer.
The Whites enquired about his availability on deadline day, but Fulham ultimately pushed through a deal to sign Kevin and brought in Samuel Chukwueze on loan from AC Milan instead.
The former Man City winger is out in the cold at Stamford Bridge and has not been a part of any of Chelsea’s pre-season preparations or their opening three games of the season.
Despite the Premier League‘s transfer window shutting on 1 September, a number of leagues’ transfer windows remain active and Sterling could still leave the Blues in the coming days.
Credit: Imago
This article contains exclusive comment from Dan Plumley, a football finance expert and senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
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Speaking to Football Insider exclusively, Plumley explained that it was still “plausible” that Sterling moves to the SPL or Super Lig, despite his reservations about leaving England.
But the finance expert said that any exit from Chelsea would ultimately be the 30-year-old’s decision to make.
The SPL’s transfer deadline day is on 23 September, whilst the Super Lig’s is on 12 September.
Plumley said: “It’s plausible, for sure.
Ultimately, that will depend on the player, to a degree.
Credit: Imago
“He’s keen to stay in London is the rhetoric that we’re hearing, so I think those windows will remain open, and those moves are available, particularly for someone like him.
“He would earn a decent amount of money by going there, for sure, but I think ultimately the player is going to have a fairly significant say in that, because I think it’s pretty clear that Chelsea would move him on if they could.
“But it seems to be that the player is the one there at the minute that is not perhaps wanting to go down that road.
“But wherever those markets are open, you’ve of course got that possibility that the player could still move on to another league in the next few weeks.”
Should the winger fail to agree a move away from the Blues before other leagues’ transfer windows close, Chelsea could cancel Sterling’s contract, Mick Brown told Football Insider exclusively.
The winger has one year remaining on his current contract at Stamford Bridge, and the 30-year-old earns £325,000-a-week [The Sun].
Credit: Imago
Brown suspects that Fulham and West Ham were hesitant to cover the cost of Sterling’s wages and pay a transfer fee as well.
But if the winger was available on a free transfer, London’s clubs may be encouraged to come calling, if the player and club could agree on a mutual termination of his contract.