Raheem Sterling Misses Premier League Opening Day: Reasons and Statement That Caused a Stir
In the opening match of the Premier League season between Chelsea and Man City, Raheem Sterling was not on the registration list. Sterling immediately issued a statement asking for “clarity” about his situation, while stressing that he has three years left on his contract with Chelsea.
Raheem Sterling did not play a single minute on the opening day
Although Chelsea are one of the rare teams in Premier League history to use four new players in their opening match, coach Enzo Maresca decided not to register Sterling. This marked the first time since 2012 that Sterling was not on the field on the opening day of the Premier League. This disappointed the former Man City star, who joined Chelsea for £50 million two years ago.
Sterling’s agent said the player returned to England two weeks early to train for the season, after being left out of the England squad for Euro 2024. He asked Chelsea to clarify Sterling’s situation, stressing that the reason for not registering him needed to be clearly explained, especially as Sterling still has a three-year contract with the team.
Chelsea Faces Difficulty Against Man City: Coach Enzo Maresca Faces Selection Pressure In Huge 42-Player Squad
In response to Sterling’s reaction, coach Enzo Maresca explained that Sterling was not allowed to play for “technical reasons”. Maresca said he could not register all 30 players in the squad and affirmed that he would clarify the issue in the coming days.
Sterling’s statement caused a stir, especially after Chelsea lost 0-2 to Man City. Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp criticized Sterling’s statement as “ridiculous”, while former Man City defender Micah Richards said Sterling had let his teammates down. Richards believes Sterling’s actions will not help his return to the first team.
Alongside Sterling, several other Chelsea players are facing uncertain futures. Juventus have expressed an interest in Sterling, and he is likely to leave before the end of the summer transfer window. Chelsea currently have a squad of 42 players, with 11 summer signings, and Maresca can only register 20 players.
Former Chelsea player Pat Nevin believes Sterling is undervaluing himself and has warned that his transfer value could plummet. Nevin believes Sterling’s comments could seriously impact his transfer value.
Both Gallagher and Chalobah are out of Chelsea this season
Chelsea have spent around £185m on signings this summer, leaving them with an overcrowded squad. Players such as Gallagher, Chalobah and Lukaku have not trained with the first team, with Gallagher reportedly considering leaving. Chalobah has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs, and Chilwell could leave this summer.
Co-owner Todd Boehly watches the match from the Stamford Bridge stands
Under co-owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly, Chelsea have spent around £1.5bn on players since taking over. Manager Maresca faces the challenge of managing a large squad and has to name a Premier League squad of 25 players (excluding under-21s), at least eight of whom must be homegrown.
