Raheem Sterling was arrested on suspicion of drug-driving in the early hours of Friday morning after his Bentley collided with the central reservation barriers on the M25 near junction 17, Hertfordshire Police have confirmed. The 31-year-old former England forward, currently on the books at Chelsea but spending the 2025-26 season on loan at Fulham, was breathalysed at the scene, returned a negative reading for alcohol, but failed a roadside drug-swipe test for cannabis. He was taken into custody at Watford police station, where blood samples were taken for laboratory analysis, before being released on bail pending further inquiries.
No other vehicles were involved in the single-car collision, which occurred at approximately 2:40am. Sterling, who was the only occupant, was assessed at the roadside by paramedics and declined hospital treatment. The carriageway was partially closed for ninety minutes while the damaged Bentley Continental GT was recovered.
How the night unfolded
According to a statement issued by Hertfordshire Police on Friday afternoon, officers were called to the M25 anticlockwise carriageway between junctions 18 and 17 shortly before 3am following reports of a vehicle that had struck the central barrier. The car, described as a “high-value black saloon,” had sustained significant front-end damage but remained driveable to the hard shoulder.
“A 31-year-old man from Surrey was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving a motor vehicle while unfit through drugs,” the statement read. “He was taken into custody and has since been released on bail until July 18 while inquiries continue. We are not seeking anyone else in connection with the incident.”
Sterling’s representatives confirmed the player’s involvement in a brief statement on Friday evening, adding that he is “co-operating fully with the authorities” and would “make no further comment while the legal process is ongoing.” Fulham, who face Brentford at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon, declined to confirm whether the forward would be involved in the matchday squad. Manager Marco Silva is scheduled to address the media at 1pm.
A career at a crossroads
The arrest arrives at a precarious moment in Sterling’s career. Once the fulcrum of Manchester City’s title-winning sides under Pep Guardiola and a centurion for England, he has started just nine Premier League matches this season after Chelsea agreed to subsidise the majority of his £325,000-a-week wages to facilitate the loan move to Fulham last August. He has scored twice in twenty-one appearances in all competitions, and was an unused substitute in three of Fulham’s last five fixtures.
Sterling has not featured for England since Gareth Southgate’s final squad at Euro 2024, and was not considered by Thomas Tuchel for the most recent international window. With two years remaining on the £325,000-a-week deal he signed at Stamford Bridge in 2022, his Chelsea future was already widely expected to be resolved this summer, with MLS clubs Inter Miami and LA FC reported to have made tentative inquiries earlier this year.
- 325 Premier League appearances since his Liverpool debut in 2012
- 123 international caps for England, the seventh-most in the men’s senior team
- 17 major trophies won at club level, including four Premier League titles
- Convicted of no previous motoring offences in his professional career
What happens next
The legal process is likely to take several months. Blood samples taken at Watford will be analysed at a Home Office-accredited laboratory, with results typically returned within six to ten weeks. If the analysis confirms drug levels above the prescribed limit — the UK threshold for cannabis is 2 micrograms of THC per litre of blood — Sterling will be charged and required to enter a plea at magistrates’ court. A conviction carries a mandatory minimum twelve-month driving ban, an unlimited fine and the possibility of a custodial sentence of up to six months.
Both Chelsea and Fulham will conduct their own internal reviews. Premier League contracts contain standard clauses permitting clubs to fine or suspend players for conduct that brings the club into disrepute, though those provisions are typically held in reserve until the conclusion of any criminal proceedings. The Football Association is not expected to open a parallel inquiry unless a conviction is secured.
For Sterling, the more immediate question is sporting. With Fulham battling for a European place and Chelsea reviewing every loanee’s status ahead of pre-season, the forward who once seemed certain to finish his career as one of the most decorated English players of his generation now faces a summer in which his next club, and his licence, are equally uncertain.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
102 articles published
