Raheem Sterling’s Impact at Feyenoord: A Double-Edged Sword

omidbasir- Feyenoord has made headlines with the arrival of Raheem Sterling, a move that has been met with intrigue by commentator Hans Kraaij junior. He considers this acquisition to be a clever strategy, suggesting it could help mask the ongoing difficulties the club is facing.

In his column for Voetbal International, Kraaij expressed his belief that Sterling could be a valuable addition at this crucial juncture. “This seems to be a kind of camouflage purchase. I believe it was very astutely handled by Dennis te Kloese and Robin van Persie, as it indeed diverts attention from the challenging phase Feyenoord is currently enduring.”

Nevertheless, Kraaij also cautions about the potential pitfalls of this decision. He notes the unsettling prospect of Sterling suffering an injury shortly after his debut, saying, “One shudders to think what would happen if he were to start against Telstar next week and then sustain a hamstring injury after just 38 minutes. I don’t need any data experts to foresee that risk.”

However, Kraaij acknowledges that if Sterling can quickly regain his fitness, the situation could dramatically improve for Feyenoord. “If they manage to get him fit soon, it would certainly be a significant upgrade compared to Aymen Sliti as a left-winger. Additionally, should Ueda fall ill or get injured, Sterling would bring a different level of experience compared to Jakub Moder or Casper Tengstedt, considering his involvement in 200 goals over 400 matches with Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal.”