![Icon: EPL Index](https://image-service.onefootball.com/transform?w=96&dpr=2&image=https://filebucket.onefootball.com/2019/11/1574083684860-13_Eplindex.png)
EPL Index
·20 August 2024
Raheem Sterling Snubbed Again: Future in Doubt
![Article image:Raheem Sterling Snubbed Again: Future in Doubt](https://image-service.onefootball.com/transform?w=280&h=210&dpr=2&image=https%3A%2F%2Feplindex.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fimago1042676757h-scaled.jpg)
EPL Index
·20 August 2024
In a somewhat puzzling move that has left fans and pundits scratching their heads, Raheem Sterling was conspicuously absent from Chelsea’s lineup for their Europa Conference League play-off against Servette. This marks the second consecutive game where the 29-year-old England forward hasn’t graced the pitch, following his omission from Chelsea’s Premier League season opener against Manchester City.
Chelsea’s summer spending spree has seen a whopping £185 million lavished on 11 new players, swelling the senior squad to over 40 members. This influx of talent, while boosting the team’s depth, has created a strategic puzzle for the newly appointed manager, Enzo Maresca. Post-City match, Maresca candidly expressed his desire to retain Sterling, albeit with an admission of the practical difficulties: “There is not enough space for all the players.”
Photo: IMAGO
Sterling’s absence from the team raises more than a few eyebrows, especially considering his track record of 81 appearances since his £50 million move from Manchester City in July 2022. His representatives, seeking “clarity” over his future at Stamford Bridge, issued a statement before the City game, underscoring the growing uncertainties surrounding his role.
The unfolding story of Raheem Sterling at Chelsea, coupled with Enzo Maresca’s squad management challenges, encapsulates the high-stakes nature of football at the apex level.