Raheem Sterling told to 'go to Ibiza and eat paella' by ruthless Dutch media

Former Liverpool and Manchester City star Raheem Sterling has been told to quit Feyenoord and "just go to Ibiza" by Dutch pundits who say his struggling spell "isn't going to work out for him"

Raheem Sterling is struggling at Feyenoord(Image: Getty Images)

Raheem Sterling has been advised to cut short his time at Feyenoord and "just go to Ibiza" amid claims his switch to the Dutch club "isn't going to work out" for him.

The former Liverpool and Manchester City wide man parted ways with Chelsea by mutual consent in January, drawing a line under a disappointing chapter at Stamford Bridge. Unable to rediscover his peak performance levels, he's now attempting to revive his career in the Netherlands.

Sterling linked up with Feyenoord, under the management of Robin van Persie, following his exclusion from Chelsea's plans. Having not featured for a single minute this campaign, that absence of match fitness has shown, with the 31-year-old registering only one assist since his Dutch debut.

Sterling suffered a difficult afternoon against Ajax last weekend, prompting Van Persie to substitute him before the hour mark.

While the manager-turned-coach insists the England international merely requires time to regain his sharpness, ex-Netherlands star Rene van der Gijp believes he ought to walk away.

Speaking on the Willem and Wessel podcast, he remarked: "He should just go to Robin van Persie and say, 'Let's stop this, this isn't going to work, this isn't good for me, for you, or for the club.'

Robin van Persie is yet to get the best out of Sterling(Image: Getty Images)

"You're not really helping anyone with this. He should just go to Ibiza, put on his swimming trunks, and eat a delicious paella with his wife. Then he'd be having a great time. But this isn't going to work out for him anymore. What a shame."

Van der Gijp's podcast co-host, Willem van Hanegem, admitted that Feyenoord might be wise to simply call time on their Sterling experiment.

He said: "He just wasn't there again, no. If I were them, I would ask for my money back and say, 'Just go home.' He used to be a good player; he was still fit and fast, but that's about it.

"If he bumps into you, he falls over. Isn't that crazy? You shouldn't do that yourself as a player either.

"If he lacks speed and has the ball, they just walk right over him. That's pointless."

Sterling's decline has been dramatic. In 2019, he claimed the FWA Player of the Year award following a 25-goal campaign for Manchester City during the club's period of domestic supremacy.

He thrived under Pep Guardiola's management but has struggled to replicate the brilliance he displayed at the Etihad, where he netted 131 goals.

Last season, a loan move to Arsenal did little to revive his fortunes, with the winger largely confined to a peripheral role under Mikel Arteta, managing only seven Premier League starts.