According to Greek journalist George Tsarouchas, Samsunspor made an offer to Sterling that included a guaranteed annual salary of 5 million Euro for a 1.5-year contract. Samsunspor President Yüksel Yıldırım confirmed the contacts and the offer. Sterling communicated through his agent that he does not plan to play in Turkey at this stage of his career. Samsunspor management withdrew after Sterling's stated position.

Samsunspor is interested in English winger Raheem Sterling, who has departed from Chelsea. It is mentioned that officials from Samsunspor have initiated contact with the agent of the 31-year-old footballer. Sterling has 82 caps and 20 goals for England and a current market value of €5.00m, according to Transfermarkt. Several other clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, and Crystal Palace, have also been linked with him. His last permanent transfer was from Manchester City to Chelsea in July 2022 for a reported €56.2 million. In mid-2025, Chelsea's asking price was reported to be £20 million, which is approximately €23 million.