The England international spent seven years with City at the Etihad before his return south, a move he believes was needed as he found game time reduced under Pep Guardiola.

‘As a player you always want to do your best and help your team, but when you don't think things are going fairly, it's always a disappointment,’ Sterling said this week.

‘If you aren’t happy playing your football, you've got to look at other options to get that happiness back, and that's exactly what I have done. It was the right time for me to move on.

‘There comes a time when you've got to think about yourself, what's best for yourself and what you want for the future. That's the sole reason why I am here at Chelsea.’

As to why he decided to choose the Blues as his next destination, Sterling revealed that the club’s strong pursuit and walking the talk were decisive factors.

‘It was their intent, how they approached me,’ he explained. ‘I wasn't listening to promises, I was seeing action and I think that was one of the factors that made me really consider the football club, the way they showed me how important a role I could have here.

‘Looking back on what they have achieved here in the last couple of years, the finals they missed out on, the new owner taking over, it's a team that is always competing on all fronts and I knew it would only get better. I didn't need to make another choice.

‘It was a possibility I wouldn't let pass. It's a blessing in disguise, another challenge and a challenge I'll look back on at the end of my career and know I stepped up to the plate and I can be happy with myself.’