England international Raheem Sterling is seeking clarity over his future at Chelsea after being left out of the squad for their 2-0 Premier League opening defeat to Manchester City.
Despite playing all six matches during the club’s preseason tour of the United States, the 29-year-old was omitted from new manager Enzo Maresca’s first competitive match in charge.
Maresca called it a “technical decision” to leave Sterling out, despite earlier referring to the winger as “an important player” in his plans. Speculation about Sterling’s future has been growing, with reports linking him to a potential move away from Chelsea.
Following the match, Maresca reiterated his stance but acknowledged that Chelsea’s large squad would necessitate departures. “I don’t know,” Maresca said. “It was a technical decision, and in the next day, we’ll want to sit and clarify the situation, but it is nothing more than that. For all the players, they are Chelsea players. If they are going to stay, we will use them, but it’s a technical decision.”
Sterling’s agents responded strongly to his exclusion, with a statement expressing shock and frustration. “Raheem Sterling is contracted to Chelsea for the next three years… Our expectation was that Raheem would be involved in this weekend’s fixture to some extent. We look forward to gaining clarity on the situation.”
Serie A sides, including Juventus, Napoli, and Lazio, are reportedly monitoring Sterling’s situation. Juventus had already shown interest earlier this month, and Sterling could be on the radar for other top Italian clubs.
Chelsea signed Sterling for €56.2 million from Manchester City two years ago, but his future at the club now appears uncertain after being left out of the opening matchday squad.
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