Raheem Sterling's Discontent Exposes Chelsea's Squad Issues

Raheem Sterling’s public discontent an hour before Chelsea’s opener against Manchester City highlighted the club’s issues with an oversized squad, which surfaced even before the season began. After being left out of the matchday squad, Sterling’s representatives released a statement seeking “clarity” on his role, expressing surprise at his exclusion.

Chelsea, currently with a 42-man squad according to their website have just 20 spots available on a matchday, leaving Sterling and others out for the game against Manchester City which ended in a 2-0 loss. The squad includes 11 new signings, adding to the selection headaches for manager Enzo Maresca, who replaced Mauricio Pochettino this summer.

Former players have criticized Sterling’s actions. Micah Richards accused him of “letting his teammates down,” while Jamie Redknapp dismissed the statement as “absolute rubbish.” Pat Nevin, a former Chelsea winger, suggested Sterling could be on his way out with doubts also surrounding the futures of Conor Gallagher, Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah and Romelu Lukaku.

Maresca, acknowledging the overcrowded squad, admitted that some players would need to leave. This situation marks the first time since 2012 that Raheem Sterling has not played on the opening day of a Premier League season. His two years at Chelsea have been underwhelming with just nine and 10 goals in the last two campaigns. Additionally, Sterling has lost his spot in the England squad since the 2022 World Cup.

Chelsea’s bloated roster is a familiar issue, previously plaguing former boss Graham Potter, who faced similar challenges. Maresca now has the daunting task of managing a squad far larger than the optimal 24-25 players, with many unhappy faces and difficult decisions ahead.