Robin van Persie takes drastic action after Raheem Sterling barred from Feyenoord training

Per the Daily Mail, Sterling is not allowed to begin training at Feyenoord's official base or play any matches for the club until his work permit comes through. The 31-year-old, who terminated his contract at Chelsea in January before signing for Feyenoord on a free transfer, was in the stands to watch his new side pick up a 1-0 win against the Go Ahead Eagles in the Eredivisie on Sunday. After the game, Van Persie revealed that he is taking the entire squad to Belgium so that Sterling can be legally integrated. 

Van Persie told reporters: "That's allowed abroad. We're doing it for him, but I also want to work on our team development. We can have some good conversations and do something fun together. He'll start training the day after tomorrow, (Tuesday)."

The Feyenoord boss added on when he expects Sterling to be available for selection: "We'll see each week when he's fit for a match. That will take some time, but that seems logical to me, since he hasn't played for six months."

Indeed, Sterling's last competitive appearance came way back in May 2025, when he was on loan at Arsenal. The England international had not played for Chelsea since May 2024, having been exiled from the squad by Enzo Maresca and kept on the sidelines by the Italian's successor, Liam Rosenior.

Several other clubs were linked with Sterling after his Chelsea exit, including Tottenham and Napoli, but he opted to try and revive his career at Feyenoord. Speaking on that decision, 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 may also have his sights on an England recall, with the last of his 82 international caps earned in December 2022 at the Qatar World Cup. It may be too late for him to force his way into Thomas Tuchel's 2026 World Cup plans, but a return in time for Euro 2028, which England will co-host, is still a possibility.

Van Persie has no doubt that Sterling still has plenty to offer at the highest level, as he said at the winger's unveiling: "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."