Friday, February 13 2026 - The England international winger has signed for Feyenoord after leaving Chelsea by mutual consent in January, ending a difficult spell at Stamford Bridge and opting for a fresh start in the Netherlands.
The 31-year-old had been without a club since his departure
from Chelsea during the winter transfer window. Despite receiving multiple
offers from clubs in England and across Europe, he chose to join Feyenoord,
where he will work under former Manchester United and Arsenal striker Robin van
Persie.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Feyenoord are currently second in the Eredivisie, trailing
league leaders PSV by 17 points, and are pushing for Champions League
qualification.
Van Persie welcomed the signing, saying: “Naturally it’s a
fantastic feat that we’ve managed to convince a player of Raheem’s calibre to
sign with us.
“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.”
Sources indicate that around 18 clubs were interested in
signing the winger, who agreed a settlement package on the final 18 months of
his Chelsea contract, reportedly worth more than £300,000 per week.
His exit brought to an end a disappointing period in west
London. Signed for £47.5 million in 2022, he managed 19 goals and 15 assists in
81 appearances for Chelsea. He did not feature for the club this season after
being sidelined by former manager Enzo Maresca. Last season, he was loaned to
Arsenal but scored just once in 28 appearances.
The move to Feyenoord represents a significant shift for the
forward, who enjoyed the most successful spell of his career at Manchester
City. During his seven years at the Etihad Stadium, he scored 131 goals in 339
matches, winning four Premier League titles, five EFL Cups and an FA Cup.
He will now hope that a switch to the Eredivisie, known for
its attacking style of play, can revitalise his career and help him rediscover
the form that made him one of England’s most influential attackers.
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