Raheem Sterling's Chelsea exit looms as club likely to prioritize other players

Raheem Sterling appears to have accepted that his time at Chelsea is coming to an end as he awaits potential offers to rejuvenate his career before the transfer deadline next week. Sterling's future at Stamford Bridge looks uncertain after a conversation with Chelsea's new head coach, Enzo Maresca, following a training session on Friday.

In the discussion, Maresca reportedly informed Sterling that the club is prioritizing other players in his position, suggesting that a move away from Chelsea might be in the cards. As a result, Sterling has been left out of the squad for both Chelsea's Europa Conference League play-off first leg against Servette and their Premier League opener against Manchester City.

Before Chelsea's 2-0 loss to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, Sterling's representatives sought clarity from the club regarding his future. Despite the uncertainty, Sterling is open to considering offers from other clubs before the transfer window closes. However, he is not willing to make a hasty decision that would negatively affect his family, who have settled in west London since his £50 million transfer from Manchester City in 2022.

Who are other players likely to be left out?

Sterling, who still has three years left on his £300,000-a-week contract, has already turned down interest from the Saudi Pro League. Although Maresca has expressed a desire to keep Sterling at Chelsea, he also acknowledged the challenge of accommodating all the players in the current squad.

Other notable players, including defenders Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, and Tosin Adarabioyo, were also omitted from Chelsea's A-list for the Europa Conference League match. Chilwell, like Sterling, has been informed that he can explore other opportunities this summer as Chelsea seeks to reduce their squad size to 43 players before the end of the month.

In other transfer news, Conor Gallagher completed a £33 million move to Atletico Madrid, with Chelsea expressing their gratitude to the 24-year-old midfielder on social media. Gallagher, who captained the team on several occasions, shared an emotional message thanking the Chelsea fans for their support and expressing his appreciation for his time at the club.