Raheem Sterling sends eerily late training ground message after being frozen out at Chelsea
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(Credit: Imago)
Jonathan Burnett
Tue 16 September 2025 9:20, UK
Chelsea were unable to move Raheem Sterling off their books in the summer despite Enzo Maresca having no place in his plans for the winger.
Sterling was cast aside by Maresca within weeks of the Italian taking charge at Stamford Bridge, and spent last season out on loan at London rivals Arsenal after they agreed a favourable deal with Chelsea.
Arsenal decided against signing Sterling permanently at the culmination of his loan after just one goal and five assists across 28 appearances for the Gunners last term, most of which came as a substitute.
With no path back into Maresca‘s first-team plans upon his return from Arsenal, Sterling spent the entire summer in limbo while weighing up his options and the window culminated with him still a Chelsea player.
Credit: Imago
As the highest-profile member of Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’, Sterling has likely had very little interaction with more prominent members of Maresca’s side as Chelsea consider whether to terminate his contract.
Football Insider revealed on 9 September that Sterling has rejected moves to Turkey and Saudi Arabia since the UK transfer window closed, with Chelsea desperate to get his weekly wages off the books.
With Sterling still being paid £350,000 per week as his career falls into further stasis, the 30-year-old former England winger shared an Instagram story on Monday detailing his day-to-day life at Chelsea.
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Sterling posted from Chelsea’s training ground at 8:21pm at night as he prepared to undergo a session away from the first-team squad, with the added detail that he was doing so in the bitter autumn cold.
Credit: @sterling7 on Instagram
Football Insider Verdict
Sterling isn’t the only out-of-favour player to be cast out of Maresca’s first-team setup in recent months, with Axel Disasi another high-profile player left in limbo after failing to secure a move away last summer.
Disasi‘s wages in West London are dwarfed by those of Sterling, however, and moving the veteran winger’s sizeale pay packet off the books will be Chelsea’s top priority in terms of outgoings in January.
Maresca’s handling of his ‘bomb squad’ leaves a lot to be desired, but there’s no denying that Sterling hasn’t been presented with options to leave Chelsea, and his desire to stay close to London remains a key sticking point.