Raheem Sterling Ousted From Chelsea Squad as Pedro Neto Takes His Shirt Number

After being left out of Chelsea’s first two matchday squads, Raheem Sterling has been instructed to train alone since Friday. The message from the Blues is clear: Sterling doesn’t fit into Enzo Maresca’s vision for Chelsea.

Maresca has already excluded Sterling from Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Manchester City and their Conference League qualifying match against Servette. Sterling’s exile comes as a shock to many Chelsea fans, as the 29-year-old received a lot of minutes in the preseason. But despite receiving playing time in preseason, Sterling has failed to impress Enzo Maresca. 

According to The Times, Chelsea and Raheem Sterling have come to a mutual agreement that would allow Sterling to train at his home, rather than the club’s training facilities in Cobham. This situation unfolded when Sterling was left out of Maresca’s squad for the Premier League opener against City. In response, Sterling publicly called for “clarity” regarding his role at the club, sparking further speculation about his future.  

Sterling isn’t the only player who has suffered such fate; fellow Englishman Ben Chilwell has also been told to train separately from the first team. To further compound Sterling’s misery, Chelsea have handed his No.7 shirt to new signing, Pedro Neto. Neto came off the bench in Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat to City wearing No.19 on the back. Therefore, this move by the Blues has attracted the ire of fans, who think that this move is extremely disrespectful.  

In a recent interview, Maresca explained his decision behind excluding Sterling and Chilwell from the first team. He said, “I am not saying Raheem is not a good player, but I prefer different kinds of wingers.... 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.” 

Raheem Sterling joined Chelsea from Manchester City for a fee of 50-million pounds in the summer of 2022. Furthermore, he is reportedly one of the highest earners on Chelsea’s payroll, with a weekly wage of 325,000 pounds. Therefore, it would be beneficial for both parties to find a solution quickly. Reports have suggested that Sterling isn’t interested in a move to Saudi Arabia. As a result, Chelsea might find it hard to offload Sterling. 

 His mammoth salary could prove to be a stumbling block for any move away. The only way out for Sterling is if he takes a massive pay-cut. However, with less than 10 days remaining in the summer transfer window, the clock is ticking for both Chelsea and Raheem Sterling to find a solution.  

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