Raheem Sterling Left Out of Chelsea Squad as Future at Club Remains Uncertain
Raheem Sterling, the 29-year-old Chelsea forward, has been notably excluded from Enzo Maresca's squad for the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off against Servette. This marks the second consecutive match where Sterling has not featured, following his omission from Chelsea's Premier League opener against Manchester City.
Sterling, who has made 81 appearances for Chelsea since joining from Manchester City in July 2022 for £50 million, has found himself in an increasingly uncertain position at the club. The decision to leave him out of these crucial matches has raised eyebrows, especially given Sterling's significant contributions to Chelsea and his illustrious career with the England national team, where he has earned 82 caps.
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The exclusion comes amid a broader sense of instability at Chelsea. The club has spent around £185 million on 11 new signings this summer, resulting in an inflated squad of over 40 senior players. This has left Maresca with difficult decisions, as there simply isn’t enough space for everyone to feature regularly. Despite Maresca's public statements that he wants Sterling to remain at Chelsea, the forward’s future is in doubt. His representatives have already expressed a desire for "clarity" regarding his role at the club.
The situation is further complicated by the financial pressures Chelsea faces, including compliance with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules. Sterling’s hefty contract, which reportedly earns him £325,000 per week, adds another layer of complexity to his potential departure. With a transfer market that is currently depressed, and European clubs struggling financially, finding a buyer for Sterling could prove challenging. While a move to Saudi Arabia seems unlikely due to Sterling's preference to stay in London with his young family, Juventus has been linked with the player, although no concrete offers have materialized.
Sterling is not alone in his predicament. Other players, such as Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah, have also found themselves sidelined or excluded from first-team training, further highlighting the sense of chaos within the squad. Chelsea's ongoing attempts to trim their wage bill and focus on younger talent have created an environment where experienced players like Sterling feel increasingly marginalized.
As Chelsea prepares for the second leg of their tie with Servette, the question of Sterling's future remains unanswered. Whether he will be reintegrated into the squad or moved on during this transfer window is still up in the air. What is clear, however, is that Chelsea's efforts to balance their books and manage their bloated squad are leading to difficult decisions and, in Sterling's case, significant uncertainty about what comes next.
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