It has been revealed that Raheem Sterling lost half of his Chelsea earnings to tax over the past 12 months. Sterling finally parted ways with the Blues last month, ending a year-and-a-half stalemate between the club and the former England international. The 31-year-old, who was earning approximately £17million per annum, had been training alone this season, arriving and departing at different times from the rest of the squad and using a separate facility.

Sterling relinquished part of the £325,000-a-week contract he signed when he transferred from Manchester City in 2022, which still had 18 months remaining. Following his exit, it has come to light that he paid £9.8million in tax last year, as reported by the Sunday Times Tax List.

This places him among the highest taxpayers in the country, not just in football.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland tops the list, having contributed just under £17m to public coffers over the past year. Haaland earns £500,000 per week, equating to around £27.3m annually, plus £10m in image rights and bonus payments.

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is next, having paid £14.5m in tax during the period covered. Manchester United’s Brazilian midfielder Casemiro ranks third, paying £10.9m.

Last month, United announced that Casemiro would be leaving the club at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Sterling forked out £100,000 more than Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, while Portuguese pair Fernandes and Bernardo Silva were on par at £9m. Now a free agent, Sterling could potentially consider the Saudi Pro League, though he can join clubs after the transfer deadline because he left Chelsea before the window closed.

The financial benefits of such a move are clear due to two main factors: The lavish wages offered to players and the lack of income tax on footballers’ salaries in Saudi Arabia, in stark contrast to the UK’s 45 per cent rate on earnings over £125,000.

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However, Sterling’s preference is to stay in London, where his family resides. This was one of the reasons his exit from Chelsea was delayed.

His last competitive match for the Blues was in May 2024, before he was abruptly informed three months later that he did not feature in the plans of then-newly appointed head coach Enzo Maresca.

A season-long loan at Arsenal last term proved unsuccessful and did not result in a permanent transfer, leaving Sterling as part of Maresca’s so-called ‘bomb squad’ of unwanted stars. Even with Maresca’s departure, there was no room for Sterling under Liam Rosenior.

Bookmakers Betfred topped the overall tax list, having paid £400m over the past 12 months. Notable names like Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran, and Anthony Joshua also feature in the top 100.