Carragher dispels Sterling myth as he hails ‘player of his generation’
Jamie Carragher has praised the quality and exploits of Raheem Sterling throughout the course of his career – not just during his ill-fated spell at Chelsea after his contract was ripped up
Jamie Carragher is adamant that Raheem Sterling is “one of the best English players of his generation” and has questioned why the now free agent has always missed out on receiving plaudits.
The forward has seen his underwhelming Chelsea spell bought to an end after the two parties chose to mutually end his contract early. It leaves Sterling on the market, but with his recent struggles fresh in the memory.
After shining at Manchester City, where he claimed individual accolades and played a starring role in Premier League-winning seasons, he slipped down the pecking order at the Etihad and then failed to rediscover his best form when he moved to London.
The Blues paid just shy of £50million to secure his services in the summer of 2022, a figure he ultimately never delivered on, but the Sky Sports pundit claimed in the Telegraph “no player should be vilified because a club determined his value and then changed its mind two years later. Whatever Chelsea paid Sterling is a reflection of his status upon signing.”
Sterling burst onto the scene with Liverpool, thriving as a teenager as they went close in the Premier League title race before forcing an exit and heading to Manchester.
READ MORE: Raheem Sterling in talks with seven clubs over transfer after Chelsea exitREAD MORE: Tottenham weigh up controversial Raheem Sterling swoop after Chelsea exit
It was at the Etihad under Pep Guardiola that Sterling enjoyed his best moments. Winning numerous titles, he also posted his best individual season when he scored over 20 goals for three seasons straight, all whilst being a pillar with England under Gareth Southgate.
Often overlooked when it came to the top tier of compliments, Carragher claims “there was a sense that Sterling never quite won the love of others. I am not sure how high he would feature on an all-time list of the greatest England and Manchester City players. My suspicion is that he would rank lower than he should.”
The ex-Liverpool player also suggesting: “Had Sterling’s career ended with his Manchester City exit four years ago, he would have already achieved more by the age of 27 than most manage in a lifetime.”
Instead Carragher admits that the 31-year-old is a victim of being overplayed after becoming a regular in his teenage years. It means he has a huge number of miles on the clock with questions over whether he can ever get back to the heights he once scaled.
The likes of Tottenham are being linked with Sterling, who won’t be shy of offers, as he boasts “one of the most decorated CVs of any free agent in football history.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
