Raheem Sterling left Manchester City in search of stability. He found it in terms of playing time, but off the pitch Chelsea have proved once again to be one of the most volatile footballing environments in Europe.
On Wednesday morning Chelsea confirmed the departure of head coach Thomas Tuchel just 20 months after they hired him. In that time the German tactician guided the London club to a second Champions League title — he outsmarted Pep Guardiola and City in the 2021 final — and became a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge.
Tuchel appeared to have successfully bridged the transition of power from the sanction-hit Roman Abramovich to Todd Boehly, so much so that this summer he was granted more power over the club's footballing decisions than any manager in living memory. He oversaw a £271m facelift of his squad — a Premier League record for a single transfer window — and was afforded the final say over transfers. including the £47.5m acquisition of Sterling from City.
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Sterling, perhaps understandably, wanted greater assurances over game time as he entered the peak years of his career, something he felt Guardiola nor City could offer. In Chelsea he found a suitor who was willing not only to meet City's asking price, but who would make him a key member of the team, guaranteed to start most games.
While the draw of returning to the city of his birth was not insignificant, he admitted that conversations with Tuchel played a huge role in convincing him to swap east Manchester for west London.
"I could see how genuine he was and how much he wanted me here, and that was the nail on it for me," Sterling said of his new manager in an interview for Chelsea's club website.
"Seeing the direction that you guys [Chelsea] are going in, it's something I really bought into and I just felt it is a place where I can really come into my own. I just think it's the perfect platform for me.
"The club's already got that winning mentality, but to keep doing it every single year and keep winning more and more trophies and building on the previous season, I think that's what top managers like Thomas do. It's not one year win and next year rest, it's again and again and again and that's what excites me to be here."
Sterling was one of 11 new signings that arrived at Chelsea this summer expressly on Tuchel's wishes. Six days after the transfer window closed and the head coach is gone.
Say what you like about the manner of Sterling's City exit; his wildly inconsistent form over the 24 months preceding his departure, behind-the-scenes fallings out and the public mud-slinging at his now former employers. The move suited all parties and he was right to want a new challenge.
His Chelsea career may well turn out to be greatly successful, but it could now easily to turn into a warning. While he did not play as much as he would have liked during his final two years at City, few other top clubs in world football can offer the stability and working environment conducive to success that City can.
Chelsea's strategy — under Abramovich and now Boehly — is a world apart. The hire and fire approach has brought plenty of silverware to Stamford Bridge, but it is something Sterling is just not used to. He joined Chelsea at least partly due to a desire to work under a particular manager; 56 days later and that manager has moved on.
The grass isn't always greener. Time will tell if Sterling comes to realise that.
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