Alan Shearer slams Chelsea for being ‘very disrespectful’ to Raheem Sterling after his sudden banishment and issues a warning to players about joining the club
Alan Shearer has criticised Chelsea for their “very disrespectful” treatment of Raheem Sterling after suddenly leaving him out of the squad.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca told Sterling just two days before the start of the season that he had to consider his transfer options.
On Sunday, he was left to fend for himself with the reserves as Chelsea lost 2-0 to Manchester City, training with a group of 13 outsiders who were not part of the first team.
Shearer sees it as a warning to future visitors to Stamford Bridge.
“I’m not a big fan of what happened to Raheem Sterling, I think it’s very disrespectful,” he said Betfair.
Alan Shearer has criticised Chelsea for their ‘very disrespectful’ treatment of Raheem Sterling
Sterling is training away from the first team and has been advised to leave by Enzo Maresca
He was sidelined two days before the start of the campaign after being part of their preparation
Shearer has warned potential new players they must ‘try to accept’ how Chelsea treat their stars
“He may not have had a great season last season, which is fine, but there is still a way to treat people and understand the needs of players. There is a way to sell players.
“It’s just bizarre what’s happening at Chelsea. Just look at the situation with Conor Gallagher when he got on the plane to go to Atletico, with the proviso that someone else would come. They tried to sign Samu Omorodion but then that deal fell through and Gallagher had to go back to Chelsea.
‘Suddenly they didn’t want a striker anymore and they thought, “Okay, we’ll go back and see if we can do a deal with Joao Felix.” Gallagher had to wait until that deal was done before he could return to Atlético.
“In the meantime, Chelsea tell Raheem Sterling that he is no longer wanted and that he should find another football club. That’s fine, that’s how it goes in football sometimes: a coach comes in who you don’t like, that happens.
“But telling someone two days before the season starts that they’re not going to play, and giving them just over a week to find a football club, is very, very disrespectful. That’s not the right way to treat a professional.
‘That’s how it is at Chelsea now, the players have to accept that and the manager has to accept that because that’s what he’s taken on. Anyone who comes to that football club knows how it’s run.
“It’s not fun at all, but that’s the way it is. You just have to try to accept it, because you know you’re going into it, that’s what you’re going to encounter.”
Mail Sport revealed on Sunday via an exclusive statement from Sterling’s team that he is ‘seeking clarity’ over his future.
Mail Sport has exclusively released a statement from Sterling’s camp in which he said he wanted ‘clarity’
Enzo Maresca made it clear to everyone on Wednesday that Sterling must leave if he wants to play
Maresca made that clear during a stern press conference on Wednesday, stressing that Sterling must leave if he wants playing time.
“They (Sterling and Chilwell) train separately. We have a big squad and it’s impossible to give them all minutes,” he said.
‘If they are looking for minutes, then it is better if they leave. If they don’t leave, then they have a contract here and they are Chelsea players.’
Mail Sport reported that Crystal Palace and Aston Villa are among the possible exit routes for the 29-year-old, who has 82 caps for England. Juventus have also made enquiries.
Sources have not yet revealed how much Chelsea value Sterling. Sterling cost £50m when he signed in 2022 and is contracted until 2027 on a deal reportedly worth around £325,000-a-week.
Maresca has been accused of being insensitive, but he countered: ‘Crude? I don’t think so. I try to be honest. I can repeat it again if it’s not clear: I spoke to Raheem before the game against (Manchester) City. I said he will struggle to get minutes for us.
‘I told Chilly that he is a nice guy but he is going to have a hard time because of his position. If you define it as “brutal”, then it is up to you to decide. For me it is not brutal, it is just honest. I am not saying that Raheem is not a good player, but I prefer different types of wingers. This is why.’
Sterling has a contract until 2027 and when asked about these long deals causing him problems, Maresca said: ‘This is not my problem. I am here to make decisions and determine what is best for the team. I am not here to talk about how many years of contract. That is not my job.
He recorded his first competitive victory as Chelsea manager with a 2-0 win over Servette on Thursday
“Whether it’s a six-year contract or a 20-year contract, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m only here to make the right decisions for the team. As for the contract situation, that’s not my job.
‘You like to say we have 42 or 43 players. Today’s session is with 20 players. Yesterday’s session was with 21. But the other 15 or 20, they train separately. Chelsea players, yes, 42 or 43, for sure, but they don’t work with me every day. I don’t see them, so it’s not as messy as it looks from the outside. Absolutely not.’