Chelsea player Raheem Sterling’s agent issued a statement calling for clarity on the Englishman’s place in the London side after the 29-year-old was left out of the squad by Enzo Maresca for their Premier League 2024-25 game against Manchester City on Sunday which the Blues lost 0-2 to the champions.
“Raheem Sterling is contracted to Chelsea Football Club for the next three years,” Sterling’s camp said.
“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,” the statement continued.
“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,” Sterling’s representative added.
“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,” the camp’s statement continued.
Chelsea’s new boss Maresca claimed the decision not to include Sterling for the side’s opener against the champions was a technical decision.
“The manager has to make some decisions,” Maresca said.
Sometimes players don’t like it, that’s normal. Just a technical decision, no more than that,” the 44-year-old Italian manager added.
Erling Haaland and former Chelsea player Matteo Kovacic netted for Pep Guardiola’s City, who began their quest for an unprecedented fifth title on the bounce in fine fashion with the win on the road at Stamford Bridge.
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