England striker Raheem Sterling confirmed his departure from Manchester City in an emotional message to club fans on Wednesday amid expectations of a move to local rivals Chelsea.
Sterling played in 225 Premier League games for City and scored 91 goals in the competition since joining from Liverpool in 2015.
In a Twitter statement, he said: “To the coaching staff who have played a huge role in my development over the years, to my teammates who have become more than just the people I play with, to the management staff and to the fans who have tirelessly supported the team, to everyone associated with Manchester City, my respect for you goes beyond.
Stirling, 27, has won the league title four times with City, won the FA Cup once and the League Cup four times, and also played in the 2021 Champions League final but lost to Chelsea.
He added: “What a journey, I’m grateful for all the ups and downs, the times of failure have tested my strength and helped me rise in front of you and represent the best version of myself, I came to Manchester when I was 20 and today I’m leaving the man, thanks for the eternal support, I had the honor of wearing the Manchester City jersey. Sterling, who left City on a contract a year ago, did not mention Chelsea in his statement, but local media reported that he had reached an agreement with the London club.
