Getty/GOALEnzo Maresca left the ex-Manchester City star out of his first Premier League squad, and a parting of ways may now be best for all concerned
"There are times when you win every year and times when you don’t win trophies. This football club more than not has been winning trophies," Raheem Sterling said in an interview with Chelsea's official website on the eve of their 2024-25 Premier League opener against Manchester City. "That’s the standards of Chelsea Football Club. We as a group are really determined to get back to those winning ways, and getting that exciting feeling of challenging for stuff and winning stuff back for the fans. It’s a football club I am really dedicated to now, to try and win trophies and replicate some of the successes I have had in the past."
Sterling also said there is "no better thing to hear" than a manager emphasising the importance of getting the ball out to the wide men so they can "make the difference", which Enzo Maresca has done in his first couple of months at Chelsea. But the 29-year-old's excitement for the new season wouldn't last long.
When Maresca named his first 20-man matchday squad for the champions' visit to Stamford Bridge, Sterling was nowhere to be seen. Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku started in a front three while Noni Madueke, summer signing Pedro Neto and much-maligned £89 million ($115m) flop Mykhailo Mudryk made the bench.
Those selection decisions ultimately backfired, as City ran out 2-0 winners without every really needing to get out of second gear, but Sterling won't be in line for an immediate return. It doesn't matter how "dedicated" he is; Chelsea are a complete mess under the current Todd Boehly-led ownership regime, and he'd be wise to jump ship before the summer transfer window slams shut.
