Chelsea outcast Raheem Sterling turned down move to Bayern Munich

Chelsea outcast Raheem Sterling reportedly turned down a move to German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, according to The Athletic.

Sterling, who has been on the fringes at Chelsea, rejected the opportunity of playing for Vincent Kompany’s side in the closing stages of the summer transfer window.

The English international, who was on loan with rivals Arsenal last season, has been excluded from Chelsea’s main squad since the summer and is currently training separately from the first team.

Reports emerged last week that the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) inquired from the Premier League side regarding their handling of Sterling, following the winger’s disclosure that he was training as late as 8:21 PM.

The 30-year-old, however, was presented with a late opportunity to depart as Bayern inquired about the forward during their loan negotiations for compatriot Nicolas Jackson.

However, the report indicates that Sterling rejected Bayern’s approach, citing his reluctance to relocate his family to Germany or be separated from them for an extended period.

Raheem Sterling for Chelsea — Raheem Sterling rejected a move to Bayern Munich in the summer (Image: Getty Images)

Former teammate and current Bayern head coach expresses admiration for the winger, stating that his bond with Sterling “will always remain” after the duo secured six major trophies during their four years together at Manchester City.

The Bayern boss continued to sing praise of the winger, and spoke about his quality as a player: “It’s a tough one because on the one hand I have a lot of respect for Enzo [Maresca] and my colleagues at Chelsea. I understand it’s not easy to make a decision as a coach,” Kompany said.

“On the other hand, Raheem is one of my former teammates and that bond always remains.

“It’s funny because last year I had Leroy Sane here as well and those two were devastating in the Premier League when they were part of the team I was part of.

“The only thing I can hope at this age, because he’s still at a good age, is that he can turn it around and show the whole world what his quality is and eventually be in a situation where everything fits for him and he fits for where he is, and hopefully that can happen sometime soon for him and I wish him all the best.”