Alan Shearer has provided vital insight into the ongoing situation regarding Raheem Sterling.
The Chelsea forward was left out of the matchday squad to face Manchester City this week, with fans left bemused given the 29-year-old had been a strong part of the Blues' pre-season preparations under new boss Enzo Maresca.
As a result, a spokesperson for Sterling chose to publish a statement regarding his non-inclusion, admitting that the former Liverpool man was under no illusions he was going to be dropped and that both he and his team await clear communication over his future.
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"Raheem Sterling is contracted to Chelsea Football Club for the next three years," the statement posted online began. "He returned to England two weeks early to conduct individual training, and has had a positive pre-season under the new coach, who he has developed a good working relationship with.
"He is committed, as ever, to delivering at the highest level for Chelsea FC and the fans, who he holds in high regard. And given his inclusion in official club pre-match material this week, our expectation was that Raheem would be involved in this weekend’s fixture in some capacity.
"As a camp, we have always had positive dialogue with, and assurance from, Chelsea FC in relation to Raheem’s future at the Club, so we look forward to gaining clarity on the situation. Until then, we will continue to support Raheem’s desire to start the new season positively.”
Whilst it remains to be seen just what lies ahead for Sterling, BBC pundit Alan Shearer admitted what he had heard on the matter, whilst offering some further advice for the Three Lions international.
"I’m told that he’s trained all pre-season and was told on Friday that he’s probably best off looking elsewhere for a club because they’ve brought other people in in that position," he said via The Rest Is Football podcast. "As hard as that is, and it will be for him because as far as I can remember he hasn’t been unprofessional at all at Chelsea.
"To have been told that on Friday, that would be pretty frustrating. Mark my words, this is not going to be the first case of player unrest at Chelsea. Enzo Maresca is going to have to deal with problems like this all season."
Sterling is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2027 and with his future now in limbo, it may hint that the experienced forward could now be suffering the same fate as Conor Gallagher, Romelu Lukaku, Trevor Chalobah and Armando Broja this summer.
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