AS Roma may look to sign 31-year-old former English international Raheem Sterling in a Bosman move in the coming days.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, AS Roma failed to sign Jamie Gittens and Jamie Leweling on deadline day of the summer transfer window. The Serie A giants have been eager to reinforce their offensive unit by signing a wide attacker in the final days of the window, but a move did not materialise.
The Giallorossi may now enter the free-agent market, with two options emerging on the Serie A club’s wishlist. Raheem Sterling and Anthony Martial are the two names under consideration, though, per Calciomercato, the Italian heavyweights need to make “careful considerations” regarding the former’s salary.
Raheem Sterling and his situation
Raheem Sterling has returned to the crossroads again after a short stint with Feyenoord in the second half of the 2025/26 season. The Englishman’s stock steadily plummeted after he joined Chelsea from Manchester City in a deal worth £50 million in July 2022. Things have gone from bad to worse in the last two years, as after becoming a part of the “bomb squad” before the 2024/25 season, the 31-year-old endured a disastrous campaign on loan with Arsenal.
While the experienced winger made 28 appearances for Arsenal, he managed only one goal and five assists while accumulating a mere 1,143 minutes of game time. The English attacker’s move to Feyenoord was also unfruitful, as he managed only 421 minutes of game time in eight outings before the Eredivisie club released him as a free agent.
What next?
Widespread reports have linked the former Arsenal and Chelsea attacker with a move to MLS, with Charlotte FC briefly considering a move. However, that transfer has yet to materialise, leaving Raheem Sterling in a spot of bother over his next destination.
AS Roma may offer a solution after the Giallorossi failed to sign a wide attacker in the summer transfer window. While the Serie A giants were active in the market and signed eight players, a significant gap remains on the flanks after Stephan El Shaarawy left as a free agent and Bryan Zaragoza departed after his loan stint.
Apart from Jamie Gittens and Jamie Leweling, Federico Chiesa also reportedly emerged as an option late in the transfer window. However, with no deal materialising, Sterling may offer an intriguing alternative. While the 1994-born Englishman is no longer a world-class winger, the slower pace of Serie A football may enable him to rediscover some of that magical form he showed at Manchester City. As a free transfer, he will be a low-risk acquisition for Roma.