Raheem Sterling reaction could prove he was wrong to leave Man City ahead of Chelsea return

After winning 11 trophies in seven years at Manchester City, Raheem Sterling will always be welcomed back to the Etihad Stadium with open arms.

Signed from Liverpool in July 2015 for what, at the time, was the most expensive transfer fee ever forked out for an English player, Sterling justified City's decision to part with an initial fee of £44million. Signed by Manuel Pellegrini, the 29-year-old was made by Pep Guardiola.

In 292 appearances under the Catalan's watch, Sterling scored 120 goals and racked up 85 assists. He also won 10 of his 11 trophies at City under the former Barcelona boss.

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Signed as a promising winger, Sterling evolved into a seasoned goalscorer under Guardiola. In his final season at the Etihad, he scored 17 goals and registered nine assists, helping the club win the Premier League title for the second year running.

Though 26 direct goal contributions in the 2021/22 campaign was incredibly fruitful, it was not his most productive season in City colours. His most complete was in 2018/19, where he scored 25 goals and registered 17 assists to end the campaign with 42 direct goal contributions.

Consistently producing eye-catching returns in the departments of goals and assists, it was hardly surprising when Chelsea, equipped with Todd Boehly's billions, came calling in July 2022. The Londoners made Sterling their first statement signing of the Boehly era, signing him in a deal worth at least £47.5m.

City would have been happy to keep Sterling, but he was convinced to make the switch to Stamford Bridge because of Boehly's ambitions and former