At the time of writing, Raheem Sterling has played more than 80 games for England and has made almost 400 Premier League appearances (split between Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea). At the age of just 29, Sterling is widely considered to have plenty to offer… but perhaps that opinion is not shared by the current Chelsea boss, Enzo Maresca. The former Leicester boss not only failed to pick Sterling for his starting XI on the opening day of the 2024/25 Premier League season, he didn’t even find a place for him in the matchday squad.
It was the first time in more than a decade that Sterling had not played in the opening game of a Premier League season. Indeed we have to go back to 2012, when Sterling was a young player of great promise at Liverpool, to find a season in which he didn’t feature in his side’s EPL curtain raiser. But with Blues boss Maresca calling Sterling’s omission a “technical decision”, could this spell the beginning of the end for the former Liverpool and Man City man at Stamford Bridge? And could he even be on the way out of the club before the current transfer window closes?
How Not To Win Fans and Influence Managers
With a few exceptions, it would not generally be a particularly big or interesting news story if a player has been left out of a Premier League side’s matchday squad. Even for a player with such fine historical stats as Sterling, it is not unheard of for a manager – especially a new one – to make decisions that might ruffle a few feathers. But the thing that caused something of a furore in this case was Sterling’s reaction to the manager’s decision. Or rather, the reaction from his “representatives”, who released a statement within minutes of the squad announcement suggesting that Sterling was far from happy about being dropped. The statement indicated Sterling had expected to play in the game and that the representatives were seeking clarity about the situation.
The release of the statement appeared to go down like a lead balloon with pundits and fans alike, with many suggesting it was a foolish thing to do. Micah Richards (who used to play for one of Sterling’s former clubs, Man City) even went so far as to suggest Sterling had “let his teammates down”. While Jamie Redknapp – another pundit who played for another of Sterling’s old sides, Liverpool – called the statement “absolute rubbish”.
For his part, Blues boss Maresca said, “I want Raheem Sterling but I want all the 30 players we have.” And, perhaps ominously for Sterling, he went on, “But there is no space for all of them. So for some of them, they have to leave.” At the time of writing, there has been no specific indication that Sterling’s departure from the club is imminent, but his statement makes it unlikely he’ll be brought straight back into the fold for the coming games or the manager could be seen to be losing face and capitulating to “player power”. A swift transfer might thus prove the best outcome for all concerned.
A Sign of Things to Come at Chelsea?
It is no secret that Chelsea’s squad is rather bloated (to put it kindly) and the club is actively attempting to shed a few players. With 42 players listed in their Premier League squad, Maresca is sure to disappoint many more of his players over the coming weeks and months. The club has made 10 signings in the current transfer window, including Pedro Neto from Wolves for £54m, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester for £30m and Omari Kellyman from Aston Villa for £19m. They also sold, released or loaned out plenty of others in an attempt to keep some semblance of normality in the size of the squad.
Essentially, the problem for Maresca is that only 20 players can be named in the matchday squad, and he has more than double that number at his disposal. Some might see this as a fine problem to have. But given the egos at play with many top-flight football players, it certainly won’t take many omissions for toys to be thrown out of numerous prams. This might well be yet another sign of a club that isn’t being run in an effective or efficient manner, and if the results don’t come on the pitch, there is sure to be discontent in the stands.
Which Clubs Would Suit Raheem Sterling?
Sterling has played at three of the biggest clubs in England: Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea. He has won the Premier League title four times, the FA Cup once and the League Cup five times (all with Man City). His goal return has been generally good and he’s scored 10 or more goals (in all competitions) in 10 of the last 11 seasons, with his best return coming in 2019/20 when he bagged 31 goals for Man City (including 20 in the Premier League).
It’s fair to suggest, however, that things have tapered off somewhat in recent seasons… since moving to Chelsea. He managed only nine goals for the Blues in 2022/23 and 10 in 2023/24 (in all competitions). He also lost his place in the England squad: his last game for the Three Lions came at the Qatar World Cup in 2022. As such, as he’s still the right side of 30, it might be a very good time for Sterling to venture to pastures new. But which clubs would suit him… and, after his recent boat-rocking statement, which might want him?
It’s fair to suggest that most English clubs would be very open to employing the services of Raheem Sterling in the hope he discovers the fine form he showed so regularly at Man City and for the Three Lions. It’s probable that he’s dropped off in form sufficiently for the top-tier clubs to not consider him, so the likes of Arsenal, Man United and former teams Liverpool and Man City probably wouldn’t countenance such a move. But the next level of PL outfits, that include the likes of Newcastle, Tottenham and Aston Villa, could prove a good fit… if his wage demands and ego permit such a move. Other clubs who have reportedly shown an interest include West Ham and Crystal Palace, but we get the impression he’d rather go to a bigger side.
Alternatively, it is possible Sterling might fancy a move abroad to start afresh and attempt to rekindle his career. Having seen how well former England teammate Harry Kane has got on in Germany, could a move to the Bundesliga be on the cards? There could also be interest from Italian or Spanish teams, but nothing concrete has materialised at the time of writing.
Of course, things might work themselves out between Sterling and Chelsea and he might rediscover his form under the new boss. But we have the feeling, after the statement from his representatives, plus Chelsea’s huge squad, that both the club and the player might see the benefit of parting company.