Raheem Sterling has left Chelsea by mutual consent after reaching an agreement to terminate his contract early, bringing an end to his three-and-a-half-year spell at Stamford Bridge in a move that offers clarity and opportunity for both player and club.

The 31-year-old England international still had 18 months remaining on his £325,000-a-week deal, but both sides agreed a settlement that allows Sterling to move on while enabling Chelsea to reduce their wage commitments. Sterling will receive a payout, though the figure is understood to be less than the more than £20m he would have earned had he remained for the duration of his contract.

Chelsea confirmed the decision in a statement, saying: “We thank Raheem for the contribution he made while a Chelsea player and wish him well for the next stage in his career.”

Sterling joined Chelsea from Manchester City in 2022 in a £47.5m transfer and went on to make 81 appearances for the club. While his time in west London included flashes of his trademark pace, movement and experience, he has not featured in a competitive match for Chelsea since May 2024.

In recent months, Sterling had been training separately with a group of players at the club’s Cobham training base after failing to secure a move during the summer transfer window. Despite that uncertainty, interest in the winger remained, with clubs including Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen exploring potential deals. A proposed move to Fulham was also discussed but ultimately did not materialise.

Sterling, who began his professional career at Liverpool and has won 13 major trophies across his career, is now focused on the next chapter. It is understood he would prefer to remain in London, but he is open to opportunities both in England and abroad as he looks to relaunch his career in a new environment.

Aston Villa have completed the signing of England striker Tammy Abraham in an £18.25m move from Besiktas, marking a high-profile and emotionally charged return to a club that played a defining role in his career.

The 28-year-old has agreed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League title challengers, bringing him back to English football for the first time since his departure to Roma in 2021. Abraham arrives with a strong sense of unfinished business and renewed ambition as Villa continue to build depth and quality for the second half of the season.

Abraham had been on loan at Besiktas from Roma, but the Turkish club activated their £11m buy option earlier this week. Villa will now pay Besiktas a fee of 21m euros (£18.25m) to secure the striker’s services, concluding a deal that has been in the works for several weeks.

Villa head coach Unai Emery has been keen to add attacking reinforcement to support leading scorer Ollie Watkins, and Abraham has long been admired by the Spaniard. The striker previously enjoyed a prolific loan spell at Villa during the 2018-19 season, scoring 26 goals in 40 appearances and playing a central role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League from the Championship.

Speaking after completing the move, Abraham reflected on his connection to the club and the significance of his return.
“Some clubs play a big part in your journey and stay with you,” he said. “I’ve scored goals, faced challenges, and grown as a player and as a man. I’m back at Aston Villa, ready to work and give everything.”

As part of the agreement, teenage Villa midfielder Yasin Özcan, who has been on loan at Anderlecht this season, will move in the opposite direction to join Besiktas. The deal underlines the strong working relationship between the two clubs and Villa’s willingness to invest in both the present and the future.

Villa’s determination to secure Abraham was highlighted by the involvement of Roberto Olabe, the club’s president of football operations, who travelled to Turkey last week to watch the striker in action as Besiktas edged Kayserispor 1-0. His performance further reinforced Villa’s belief that Abraham can make an immediate impact.

The forward could make his second Villa debut against Brentford on Sunday, offering Emery another powerful attacking option. However, he has not been registered in time to feature in Thursday’s Europa League fixture against Red Bull Salzburg.

In further positive news for Villa supporters, former midfielder Douglas Luiz is set to return to the club on loan. The 27-year-old Brazilian, currently at Nottingham Forest on loan from Juventus, is expected to leave the City Ground before Monday’s transfer deadline, potentially adding experience and familiarity to Emery’s squad.

Matheus Cunha produced a moment of high drama at the Emirates Stadium, scoring a stunning late winner to propel Manchester United to a memorable 3–2 victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal in a pulsating five-goal encounter.

The result marked Arsenal’s first home defeat of the season and tightened the title race significantly, especially after earlier victories for Manchester City and Aston Villa. While the Gunners remain top of the table, their advantage has now been cut to four points, adding fresh intrigue to the championship run-in.

Arsenal began the contest with authority and looked in control during the opening exchanges. Their pressure told in the 29th minute when United defender Lisandro Martínez inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, giving the hosts a deserved lead and igniting the home crowd.

However, Manchester United showed resilience and composure to find a route back into the match. A loose pass from Martin Zubimendi proved costly for Arsenal, allowing Bryan Mbeumo to race through on goal. The United forward kept his nerve, rounding goalkeeper David Raya before calmly slotting into the empty net to restore parity.

The visitors carried that momentum into the second half and stunned Arsenal just five minutes after the restart. Patrick Dorgu produced a moment of quality, unleashing a powerful strike that cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and into the net, giving United a surprise lead and silencing the Emirates.

In response, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made a bold quadruple substitution in search of inspiration, introducing Viktor Gyökeres, Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino and Ben White. The changes appeared to pay off when Merino forced the ball home from a corner in the 84th minute, raising hopes of a late comeback and at least a share of the spoils.

Yet Manchester United had the final say. Just three minutes later, substitute Matheus Cunha collected a pass from Kobbie Mainoo and produced a moment of individual brilliance, curling an exquisite 25-yard strike into the bottom corner to seal a dramatic victory.