Raheem Sterling has been banished from Enzo Maresca’s first team Chelsea squad, alongside 20 other players.
News broke on Sunday afternoon of Sterling’s dismay at being left out of the Blues match day squad to face Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in what was Chelsea’s Premier League opener. While Maresca and co caused the Premier League champions a few issues, City ran out 2-0 winners on the day.
Sterling and his representatives, clearly miffed at his exclusion, released a statement prior to the game, with the Chelsea winger seeking “clarity” over his future. The 29-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2022 from City and has three years left on his Chelsea deal.
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And now Maresca has confirmed Sterling’s future with Chelsea is now over. Speaking on Wednesday afternoon about Sterling, and Ben Chilwell, who also looks set to leave Stamford Bridge, Maresca said: “They are training apart. The situation with both of them is quite clear. We have a big squad and it’s impossible to give all of them minutes. If they are looking for minutes it’s better for them to leave.”
“I try to be honest. I spoke with Raheem before the Manchester City game. I said he will struggle to get minutes with us and this was the reason why he was out. And with Chilly, he’s lovely guy, but I said he is going to struggle with his position. It’s not brutal, it’s just honest.”
What do you make of Chelsea’s decision to banish Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell from their first team plans? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Alongside the England duo, it is understood Trevoh Chalobah, Armando Broja and Romelu Lukaku are also training away from the Blues first team, reports the Express. Conor Gallagher was also among the group of players exiled from Chelsea’s first-team training under Maresca, but the midfielder has finally had his move to Atletico Madrid confirmed, with Joao Felix returning to Stamford Bridge as a result.
But despite the chaos currently surrounding Chelsea, Maresca has bizarrely attempted to claim he is “not working with 42 players” but rather “with 21”, as if the Blues are enjoying a completely normal and rational summer.
He said: “I am not working with 42 players. I am working with 21 players. The other 15-20 players are training apart. I don’t see them. It’s not a mess like it looks from outside. Absolutely not. They can even have 20 years contract, it’s not my point. I don’t care. I am not saying Raheem is not a good player but I prefer different kinds of wingers. It’s simple. I’ve been honest, he will have no minutes here.”