“Not just Sterling” – £50m star will never play for Chelsea again they will leave soon

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Can Chelsea Bounce Back This Season?

As the new season kicked off, one burning question lingered: Will Chelsea turn things around this year? It’s the multi-million-dollar question that’s on every fan’s mind.

Opening against Manchester City is far from ideal if you’re looking for a gentle start. Yet, Chelsea didn’t do themselves any favors either. Robert Sanchez was chosen to start in goal, a decision that backfired spectacularly when he failed to keep out a rather tame shot from former Blue, Mateo Kovacic. Of course, it had to be Kovacic—one of the players sold off to fund Chelsea’s extravagant spending spree under Todd Boehly’s leadership in London.

Did they let the Croat go too soon? We’re joking—sort of. But seriously, Chelsea’s transfer strategy does leave you scratching your head. Despite splurging heavily during the summer transfer window, they still look a bit thin when it comes to finding a striker that inspires confidence.

Nicolas Jackson struggled upfront, with fewer touches than even Sanchez. You can hardly put all your hopes on 18-year-old Marc Guiu just yet either.

What about Victor Osimhen? That would be the dream signing, but that kind of move would come with a hefty price tag attached. It’s strange because Chelsea does have talent—good players, even some great ones. But, as you can see, not all of them even made the matchday squad. Let’s shift the spotlight to Raheem Sterling and another one of Chelsea’s key players.

Why Was Sterling Dropped from the Squad?

The moment the Chelsea lineup was revealed for their match against Pep Guardiola’s City, one name was noticeably absent. Sterling didn’t just miss out on the starting XI—he wasn’t included in the matchday squad at all. With so many players at Enzo Maresca’s disposal, someone was bound to miss out, but few expected Sterling—one of the Premier League’s top earners—to be completely left out of the team sheet.

So, what gives? Maresca addressed the issue after the game, explaining: “It’s simply a technical decision, nothing more to it. Managers make these choices, and sometimes players aren’t happy about it.”

Sterling was apparently informed of the decision on Friday, and it raises questions about his future at the club, especially with rumors suggesting the higher-ups at Chelsea backed the call to leave him out. Maresca did emphasize that he still “wants” Sterling, but some players “have to go.”

Adding even more drama, Sterling’s camp issued a statement just an hour before kickoff. Clearly, this wasn’t the ideal way to prepare for a season opener. But if there’s one constant at Chelsea these days, it’s that there’s never a dull moment with Boehly at the helm. And Sterling might not be the only one whose days at Chelsea are numbered.

Who Else Could Be Shown the Door?

We already know that Chelsea is actively trying to move on from Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah. Striker Armando Broja is also rumored to be on his way out.

But another big name on the chopping block could be Ben Chilwell. The left-back missed out on England’s Euro 2024 squad, and after playing just 64 minutes under Maresca in pre-season, he was one of several players left out of the squad for the weekend’s game.

Marc Cucurella, who shone at the last European Championships, started at left-back. When he had to come off, it was new signing Renato Veiga who took his place. Given that Chilwell has made 106 appearances for Chelsea, this latest development suggests his time at the club could be up.

The £50 million man has struggled with injuries throughout his stay in London, and it appears his stint is nearing its end. Oddly enough, Manchester United is reportedly interested in signing him, despite already having an injury-prone left-back in Luke Shaw. Even if United doesn’t make a move, Chilwell will likely find another club. Unfortunately for Chelsea, they probably won’t recoup anything near the massive fee they paid to Leicester City for him.

With less than two weeks left in the transfer window, Chelsea still has some key decisions to make, even after a busy and somewhat chaotic summer. It certainly wouldn’t be easy to work in their recruitment team right now!