Rio Ferdinand has hit out at Liverpool supporters for doubting Raheem Sterling's judgement to have jumped ship back in 2014 for Manchester City as the former Manchester United defender made an exciting Chelsea prediction.
The Blues finally kicked off what is expected to be a busy period in the transfer market as the 27-year-old was unveiled in a Hollywood type setting in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon. football.london understands Chelsea will pay Man City an initial fee worth around £45million for Sterling. A further £10m will be due to the Premier League champions if a number of performance-related add-ons are met throughout the 27-year-old's time at Stamford Bridge.
Sterling, Todd Boehly and manager Thomas Tuchel have all spoken in a positive way about this Premier League switch which has underwhelmed some rival supporters. But Ferdinand's judgement on this deal at hand should send a stern warning to supporters of all Chelsea's top six rivals - especially Liverpool's - after they played a big part in his progress.
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"You know what, I thought I’d just come on man because Raheem Sterling… just signed for Chelsea, just unveiled as a new player coming in," Ferdinand started opening up on this transfer on Vibe with Five.
"You know what it does my head in when there’s a split opinion about him and I don’t understand it. The guys come from London, QPR went to Liverpool done really well part of that forward line with Sturridge, Sterling and Suarez that was devastating at times as a young kid, a baby almost.
"Gets transferred from Liverpool to Man City, huge fee, goes there, takes a risk in some people’s eyes taking a big chance leaving somewhere that’s took a big chance on him in Liverpool big history, great forward line, great opportunity to do some great things there to play alongside the greats like Suarez and Gerrard etc.
"But you think, you know what, he saw the opportunity to go and win big trophies immediately and he said it himself in the post he put up this morning saying ‘do you know what, I came here a boy and left a man, 11 trophies’ you can’t argue with that. From a team point of view, he made the right decision 100 per cent going to Man City when he did."
Ferdinand believes criticism directed at Sterling are unfair as he went on to label this Chelsea acquisition as 'a steal.' He added: "Questioned by Liverpool fans, ridiculed by Liverpool fans when he made that move’ other sections of the football community questioned whether he was good enough, shouldn’t be held in that esteem, shouldn’t be held in that class. The kid does it everywhere, he does it in the Champions League, the Premier League. And Chelsea, by the way, what a steal.
"The market and they’ve gone and got him… wow. So the new owners at Chelsea have come in, it’s a fantastic deal on their part, listen they’ve got a readymade Premier League goal-getter, havoc-causer in the league, simple as that. If he can replicate the form at Man City in a Chelsea shirt… wow. Listen, the Chelsea boys in England they know what they’re getting they know what’s coming through that door.
"They’re not idiots, they know, they’ve done unbelievably well to get him, I just can’t believe other teams he could’ve gone to, he maybe could of but he wanted to go to London.
"But Raheem Sterling, even though you were on the other side of Manchester, I have to salute the way you carried yourself and the way you continue to do so because I know you will. So listen, good luck man and don’t be too successful because I want my boys to come back but I hope you have a good spell there alright, take care."
Chelsea fans- Has Rio Ferdinand's assessment of new signing Raheem Sterling made you feel more excited about this transfer? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
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