Raheem Sterling was given a princely welcome as he touched down in the Netherlands after agreeing to join Feyenoord.
The 31-year-old signed shirts and posed for pictures with fans before being ushered into a van.
Sterling looked in good spirits despite the overcast weather as he prepared to link up with Premier League legend Robin van Persie, Feyenoord’s manager.
He and Chelsea ripped up his £325,000-per-week contract late in January, around 20 months since his last appearance.
Daily Mail Sport reported that the 82-cap Englishman had received interest from at least 18 clubs in Europe’s top leagues.
But extensive discussions with Van Persie over his role at Feyenoord, complete with assurances of regular game time, convinced him to sign a deal until the end of the season.
Raheem Sterling was mobbed by fans on his arrival in the Netherlands after joining Feyenoord
The former Chelsea and England star signed shirts and looked in good spirits after landing
Sterling said: ‘As a free agent, I’ve had, for the first time in a long time, the opportunity to control the next step 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.’
Sterling faces an uphill battle with Feyenoord this season as they sit 17 points behind Eredivisie leaders PSV in second place. They are also out of the Europa League and KNVB Cup.
Feyenoord wanted to sign him on a longer-term deal, but Sterling was cautious and opted for a shorter one.
Napoli, managed by Antonio Conte, were thought to be in the mix to sign Sterling, although the club played that down on towards the end of the transfer window.
Van Persie said: ‘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.’
Chelsea signed Sterling on a five-year contract in 2022 from Manchester City for a fee worth £47.5million. He was the first signing made by Chelsea’s Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership in what was considered an early statement of intent by the hierarchy.
He made 81 appearances for Chelsea – one less than the 82 he has for England – before being frozen out under Enzo Maresca as part of the Blues’ bomb squad.
The winger didn’t feature under Liam Rosenior either, with the new Chelsea manager telling Daily Mail Sport: ‘I’ve said what I’ve had to say on Raheem. He’s a player I have massive respect for. Huge respect for as a person and what he’s achieved in the game. Now is not the right time to speak about his situation.’
More to follow.