The high-earning winger, deemed surplus to requirements, will train away from the first team until at least January as the club seeks a permanent solution.
Raheem Sterling’s future at Chelsea appears to be in limbo after the club’s drastic plan for the out-of-favor star was revealed. Following a summer transfer window that saw him fail to secure a move away, the 30-year-old winger is now set to train separately from the first-team squad until the January window opens.
Despite being linked with a late switch to London rivals Fulham or Crystal Palace, a deal for the former England international ultimately failed to materialize. According to a report from The Times, a move abroad was always ‘unlikely’ due to Sterling’s strong preference to remain in the UK.
This leaves both player and club in a difficult position. Manager Enzo Maresca has made it clear that Sterling does not feature in his plans for the new season, a stance that became evident as Chelsea actively signed new attacking talent like Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens while offloading other forwards including Noni Madueke and Christopher Nkunku.
When pressed on whether players like Sterling would be reintegrated into the main squad now the window is closed, Maresca offered no assurances. “No idea at the moment,” he stated. “They are training at a different time, on a different pitch. So I don’t have any idea. We’ll see and we’ll decide.”
The situation is complicated by Sterling’s status as the club’s highest base-salaried earner, pocketing an estimated £300,000 per week. Having joined from Manchester City for £47.5 million in 2022, he made 81 appearances for Chelsea before spending last season on loan at Arsenal, where he scored one goal in 28 games.
For now, Sterling faces an uncertain few months, expected to wait on the sidelines for a new opportunity to arise when the transfer market reopens in January.
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