Football friends! Kevin De Bruyne leading Napoli's bid to sign close mate Raheem Sterling following Chelsea exit

Sterling left Chelsea 'by mutual consent' on January 28, bringing an end to over half a season in exile at Stamford Bridge. He was deemed surplus to requirements in the summer of 2024 and spent last season on loan at Arsenal, but returned to the Blues in 2025 and was sent to train with the club's 'bomb squad' as he still did not feature in then-head coach Enzo Maresca's plans.

Chelsea's statement confirming Sterling's exit read: "Raheem Sterling has today departed Chelsea Football Club by mutual agreement, bringing to an end three-and-a-half seasons as our player, having signed in the summer of 2022 when he was transferred from Manchester City.

"We thank Raheem for the contribution he made while a Chelsea player and wish him well for the next stage in his career."

As reported by The Sun, Napoli are interested in acquiring Sterling now that he is a free agent, and De Bruyne has been playing his part in trying to 'lure' his ex-City team-mate to Italy. While previous reports claimed Sterling was only looking to stay in and around the London area or the south of England, The Sun say he is open-minded about a move abroad and will lower his wage demands to help breathe fresh life into a career that has stalled.

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In a 2019 ghost-written article for The Players' Tribune, De Bruyne explained how he and Sterling formed a friendship after arriving at City together in the summer of 2015 with their reputations undermined by the media.

De Bruyne said: "I didn't think he'd be a bad guy, really. But the tabloids were always claiming that he was arrogant.

"Raheem and I have this strong connection, because we arrived at City around the same time, and there was a lot of negativity about us in the press.

"They said I was "the Chelsea reject." They said Raheem was this flashy guy who left Liverpool for money. They said we were difficult characters.

"Of course, when you read this stuff about yourself, you think, 'Me? I'm not difficult. This is ridiculous. These people don't even know me!' But honestly, when you read about other players, it influences the way you think. You can't help it.

"Then I got to City and I actually met Raheem, and we'd talk a bit after training, and I thought, 'Wait, this guy seems really cool? What's the story here?'

"Truthfully, I don't have many close friends - inside or outside of football. It takes me a really long time to open up to people. But over time, I got closer to Raheem, because our sons were born around the same time, so they would always play together.

"I really got to know Raheem, and I recognised what a smart and genuine person he is. He couldn't be more different from what the tabloids were saying.

"This is the real truth: Raheem is one of the nicest, most humble guys I've met in football."

Should Sterling indeed sign for Napoli, he will link up with other former Premier League players who are succeeding under the management of Antonio Conte. Ex-Manchester United duo Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund are two of the club's high-profile rejuvenation stories.