Maresca unsure whether Sterling will stay at Chelsea

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Enzo Maresca says he is unsure whether Raheem Sterling will still be at Chelsea after the transfer window closes.

Choosing from a huge pool of players for his first Premier League match as Blues head coach, Maresca left Sterling out of the matchday squad for the visit of Manchester City, who won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca has already made it clear that Ben Chilwell, who was also axed, can leave the club.


And it seems that the Harlesden-raised Sterling, 29, could also be on his way out.

Asked if Sterling is likely to be at Chelsea after the transfer deadline, Maresca said: “I don’t know.”

He added: “I want Raheem Sterling but I want all the 30 players we have. But there is no space for all of them, so for some of them they have to leave.

“The only thing I can say is that it was a technical decision (to leave him out) and in the next days we will 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 be Chelsea players, then we will try to use them, but it was no more than a technical decision.”

Almost immediately after it was revealed that Sterling had been omitted from the squad, his representatives released a statement calling for his situation to be clarified.

“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,” said the statement.

“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.

“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.”