The summer transfer window was a period of high anxiety for Celtic supporters, particularly when the club was heavily linked with a sensational move for Raheem Sterling.
As a high-profile free agent with a glittering Premier League resume, the prospect of Sterling at Parkhead divided the Celtic supporters.
It appears the much-hated Celtic board did something right, and that’s dodging a major bullet by avoiding a move for Sterling.
The winger only joined Feyenoord in February as a free agent after Chelsea paid a settlement to terminate the final 18 months of his lucrative London contract.
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Who is that one player Celtic never signed that they should have gone all out for?
What are the Dutch media saying about Raheem Sterling?
Since arriving in the Eredivisie, the former Chelsea and Manchester City star has struggled to recapture the explosive form that once made him one of Europe’s most feared wingers.
The situation reached a boiling point during the recent De Klassieker against Ajax. After a disjointed 55-minute performance in which he failed to register a single shot on target, Sterling was hooked by manager Robin van Persie.
It was only a few months ago that Celtic were beating Feyenoord in their backyard in a brilliant Europa League display under Martin O’Neill.
At that time, van Persie and Feyenoord were under immense pressure, as Sterling hasn’t been able to steer that ship.
| Games | Starts | Goals | Assists | WhoScored rating |
| 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6.29 |
The Dutch media have been characteristically ruthless in their assessment.
The Netherlands’ largest daily newspaper, De Telegraaf, delivered a scathing verdict, branding Sterling’s start to life in Rotterdam a ‘total failure.’
Their analysis was biting, mockingly suggesting that the winger seemed to be ‘enjoying the sun more than being focused on the match.’
With zero goals in his first five appearances and reports suggesting he looks physically off the pace, the Dutch press have even suggested he would be better suited to a ‘veteran’s’ team.
For Celtic, a club already navigating a difficult season, avoiding Sterling’s massive wage demands for such a diminishing return represents a rare and significant victory for the recruitment department.
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