Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has sensationally dropped winger Raheem Sterling from the Blues match day squad for their clash against Manchester City.
This summer has seen Chelsea embark on a whilst summer spending spree which has bloated their squad even more than it already was. The Blues recently announced the signing of Wolves winger Pedro Neto for a whopping £54m, despite having plenty of options out wide, one of which is Sterling.
However, when Chelsea’s team news for their Premier League opener against Manchester City dropped on Sunday afternoon, Sterling’s name was nowhere to be seen. And it has prompted the England international to now seek clarity on his future at Stamford Bridge.
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A statement from his representatives to the Mail read: “Raheem Sterling is contracted to Chelsea Football Club for the next three years. He returned to England two weeks early to conduct individual training, and has had a positive pre-season under the new coach, who he has developed a good working relationship with.
“He is committed, as ever, to delivering at the highest level for Chelsea FC and the fans, who he holds in high regard, and given his inclusion in official club pre-match material this week, our expectation was that Raheem would be involved in this weekend’s fixture in some capacity.
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“As a camp, we have always had positive dialogue with, and assurance from, Chelsea FC in relation to Raheem’s future at the club, so we look forward to gaining clarity on the situation.”
With under two weeks left now in the transfer window, it remains to be seen where Sterling will play his football this term. The 29-year-old has three years left on his deal at Stamford Bridge and is on big money.
Given his age, it seems unlikely anyone would be interested in bringing Sterling in on a permanent deal, especially when factoring in his reported £325k-per-week wage packet which will be difficult to shift.
And Sterling isn’t the only England international seeking clarity over their future. Defender Ben Chilwell has also been told by Maresca his Chelsea career is over. The left-back, like Sterling, was left out of the Blues match day squad to face Man City, with Maresca stating earlier this week: “For some players, it’s sometimes better to leave and to go somewhere to get minutes. We will see what happens, the transfer window is open and we will see what happens.”