Raheem Sterling probably never imagined that he would not be in Chelsea’s squad for the opening match of the 2024-25 season. An experienced player who has played for top teams such as Manchester City and Liverpool, it is unclear what his role will be at Chelsea now.
This development comes after he was surprisingly ruled out of the match against the Citizens on Sunday, a statement that shocked many supporters. Enzo Maresca explained that it was a purely technical decision.
Instead of Sterling, the Chelsea manager opted for other attackers, such as Cristopher Nkunku, who took up the Englishman’s most important position on the pitch – the left flank – alongside newcomers Pedro Neto and Marc Guiu.
This comes after Chelsea had another hectic summer transfer window, which resulted in a squad of 43 players, with Maresca reportedly frustrated by the challenging task of having a plethora of players not training with the team. This situation led to big name stars such as Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga training separately, followed by the incident with Sterling.
Now the player, who played in all six friendlies, wants clarity about his future, with everyone in doubt whether he will continue his career at Stamford Bridge.
Raheem Sterling was left out of Chelsea’s matchday squad for the match against Manchester City
Blues boss Enzo Maresca explained that the unexpected decision was ‘purely technical’
Sterling’s absence from the squad puts his future at Stamford Bridge in doubt
No doubt a player like Sterling would attract a lot of interest if he and the club indicated he could leave.
The Liverpool youth player began his career early, making his Premier League debut in the 2011-12 season at the age of 17. He quickly became a regular starter for the Reds, before eventually moving to Manchester City.
He joined Chelsea ahead of the 2022–23 season in a deal worth £47.5 million and was seen as a key player for the Blues. However, his time at Stamford Bridge coincided with the club’s change of ownership to American businessman Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, who were looking to build a younger squad.
The average age of Chelsea’s squad is currently 23.1 years old. With 29-year-old Sterling still not in the squad for the Premier League opener, it is becoming increasingly clear that the club are targeting other attacking talents.
Chelsea boast a host of attacking stars, including Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, Christophe Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson and Mykhailo Mudryk.
The most notable was Portuguese debutant Neto who came on as a substitute during the match against Manchester City.
Sterling statistically outperformed Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk last season
The question arises whether Sterling deserves such treatment, given his decent performances and statistics in the previous league campaign compared to other Chelsea wingers. Although Sterling provided fewer assists than Neto, he scored six more goals.
Sterling was one of the few wingers to significantly exceed his expected goals (xG) figure of 6.48.
His teammate Noni Madueke is also among the players with a positive xG differential, but lacked decisiveness in attack, scoring only seven goals and providing assists, a figure he easily surpassed with 12.
Another £88million team-mate, Mykhailo Mudryk, made 31 appearances last season but managed just five goals.
It remains to be seen whether the 29-year-old will regain his manager’s trust or ask for a departure. Commenting on his unexpected decision, Maresca said: ‘I want Raheem Sterling, but we have 30 players, there is no room for all of them, so some have to leave.’
“The manager has to make some decisions. Sometimes players don’t like it, that’s normal. Just a technical decision, nothing more. With Raheem we will clarify in the coming days.”
In response, a statement from Sterling’s campaign team read: ‘Raheem Sterling has signed a three-year contract with Chelsea Football Club.
‘He returned to England two weeks earlier to undertake individual training and has had a positive pre-season under the new coach, with whom he has built up a good working relationship.’
There are several clubs, including Juventus, interested in the 29-year-old
He previously turned down an expensive move to the Saudi Pro League because he was determined to make a success of his time at Chelsea.
Despite this, Sterling has been linked with a move outside the Premier League, with Juventus previously showing strong interest in his move. With the transfer window fast approaching, the winger will need to think carefully and quickly about his future.
A player of Sterling’s skill and versatility is expected to attract interest from clubs around the world, with the winger left with the option of staying in the Premier League or moving abroad.
Bayern Munich are also considering signing the player as their manager Vincent Kompany looks to replace a number of players on the team’s wings.
Mail Sport previously reported that Sterling had rejected a major offer from Saudi Arabia because he was determined to fight for his place at Chelsea.
There were also reports that both Crystal Palace and West Ham United were interested in Sterling during the summer transfer window and that the two sides could potentially return to the negotiating table.