Raheem Sterling: Chelsea choice the right step in my career journey | OneFootball

Raheem Sterling says he's joined Chelsea hoping to help the club's young players.

Sterling had other options after deciding to leave Manchester City. But he chose Stamford Bridge as it "was more tailor-made for my personal goals".

"For my family, it makes a lot of sense and with the direction, the club is going in. If you look at Chelsea in the last couple of years, I think it's four of five finals they've been in, it's a team that is competing and is only going to get better," he said.

After more than a decade away, the forward has returned to London. Now, at Chelsea, Sterling is determined to take on more of a leadership role.

"I feel like it's my full journey. Going up to Liverpool and manifesting what I wanted, going to City and living the dream, and now coming back to London as a grown adult, being in the football game and I feel like I've got my head on my shoulders.

"I know exactly what I what from my life and football. So it's a perfect time to have a new challenge," Sterling added. "I want to be more involved in dressing room decisions, being more vocal and trying to drive the team on."

That involves nurturing younger players in the way Steven Gerrard helped him at Liverpool.

"It's one of my traits that no matter how old you are, it's good to try to nurture younger people in whatever profession it is. You don't want a hostile environment for them to come into, you want it to be one they can flourish.

"When I was young, I had someone like Steven Gerrard around me. When I went into the national team, he had his arm around me and that makes you a lot more relaxed around the camp so you can do your best. That's all I ever try to do."