Raheem Sterling wants to leave Chelsea on a permanent basis after being frozen out by Enzo Maresca, who has denied that his treatment of the winger has been “brutal”.
The manager could also move for a new centre-back if Axel Disasi leaves a year after his move to Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea poised for a major clearout before the transfer window shuts next week.
Sterling, who has stayed away from training since being left out against Manchester City on Sunday, is ready to work with the club towards finding a solution after slipping down the pecking order following the arrivals of Pedro Neto and João Félix.
The former Manchester City winger, who is not in the squad for the first leg of the Europa Conference League qualifier against Servette at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, does not want to go on loan or to Saudi Arabia. He has three years left on a deal worth £325,000 a week, and is open to leaving on a permanent basis after joining Ben Chilwell in a group of 15 senior players who are not part of the club’s future.
While Conor Gallagher’s move to Atlético Madrid was confirmed on Wednesday, Chelsea are still trying to make a host of sales and loans. They have faced external criticism and Maresca has grown irritated with suggestions that he is having to work with a bloated squad of 42 players. Outcasts including Trevoh Chalobah, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Romelu Lukaku are training with the development group, while Maresca argued he has been open with Sterling and Chilwell, who are understood to have no chance of playing for the former Leicester manager this season.
“I try to be honest with all of them in this moment, the noise is from outside,” Chelsea’s head coach said. “More than 15 players are training apart, they are not with the team. I spoke with Raheem before [the] Manchester City [game]. I said that he is going to struggle to get minutes with us. With Chilly, I said he is a lovely guy, but with his position, he’s going to struggle with us. It’s not brutal, it’s honest. I am not working with 42 players, I am working with 21 players. It’s not a mess like it looks from outside.”
Chelsea could struggle to find a buyer for Sterling given how much he earns. Sources believe the club’s desire to sell the 29-year-old is partially motivated by finances. Juventus have enquired about the former Liverpool player, who has lost his No 7 shirt at Chelsea to Neto.
It has been another busy summer at Chelsea and their activity is expected to continue despite the arrival of Félix. Maresca wants to sign a striker, with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen prominent in the club’s thoughts, and changes in central defence have not been ruled out.
While Chelsea’s squad contains six senior centre-backs, Chalobah is up for sale and Disasi is not in Maresca’s long-term plans. Disasi, who missed much of pre-season after having surgery on a hernia, has not convinced since joining from Monaco for £38.5m last year and has interest from Newcastle. The France international, who made 44 appearances last season, has not looked comfortable with the ball at his feet. There are also doubts over how much Benoît Badiashile will play this season.
Maresca is happy with Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana as his first-choice centre-backs, with Tosin Adarabioyo as the first back-up. But Fofana needs to be managed carefully after returning from a serious knee injury and there is a chance that a new centre-back who can provide more competition and thrive in Maresca’s possession-based system will arrive.
The clock is ticking for Chelsea to find moves for their outcasts. Serious interest in Chilwell is yet to materialise and Carney Chukwuemeka is expected to leave. David Datro Fofana, Ângelo Gabriel and Djordje Petrovic are available, Noni Madueke’s status is uncertain and Armando Broja is set to complete a loan move to Ipswich, who will sign the striker for £30m if they stay up. Bashir Humphreys, the 21-year-old defender, has joined Burnley on loan with an obligation to buy for £12m.
