Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Raheem Sterling, Chelsea, Enzo Maresca, Football, Premier League, Transfer News
Rory O'Callaghan
Topics: Raheem Sterling, Chelsea, Enzo Maresca, Football, Premier League, Transfer News
Raheem Sterling has made his intentions clear after being brutally axed from Chelsea's squad by head coach Enzo Maresca.
Sterling, 30, was once viewed as one of the best attackers in world football but now finds himself stuck in limbo after being frozen out at Chelsea.
Maresca admitted last week that he hasn't seen either Sterling or Axel Disasi since the season began and they will remain in the so-called 'Bomb Squad'.
Players in the ostracised group have been made to use a different pitch, gym and dressing room from the rest of the first-team in an effort to force them out of the club.
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It was expected that Sterling would depart in the summer transfer window but a move failed to materialise before the window shut for the majority of European clubs on September 1.
Champions League sides Juventus or Bayer Leverkusen were both strongly linked with the England international but he was reluctant to move abroad, preferring to join another London club to remain close to his family, according to the BBC.
His options are now limited, with only a few transfer windows including Saudi Arabia, still open for business.
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It looks increasingly likely Sterling will remain at Chelsea until at least January.
And while his career at Stamford Bridge looks to be over, the former Liverpool and Manchester City star hasn't given up.
He took to Instagram to post an picture of him training at Chelsea as he looks to maintain his fitness despite a lack of competitive football.
Sterling posted an image of Cobham's empty training pitches showing the time as 20:21, with the caption 'training' alongside a handshake and cold face emoji.
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He also posted a picture of his Chelsea training kit and Puma football boots.
Sterling was recently left out of Chelsea's Champions League squad, with the Blues set to face Bayern Munich - who themselves were linked with the winger on deadline day - in their opening match of the league phase on Wednesday.
While he hasn't been included in the Champions League squad, Sterling was surprisingly named in Chelsea's Premier League squad along with Disasi.
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But Maresca has ruled out members of the 'Bomb Squad' returning to the fold.
"They are Chelsea players because they have a contract with the club," Maresca said on Friday.
"In this moment, they are still training apart. The idea is to continue in exactly the same way.
"Since we started the season, I didnt see one of them. I didn't see Renato (Veiga), I didn't see Axel (Disasi), I didn’t see Raheem (Sterling), because they train at a different time on a different pitch. I haven't seen them since we started the season."
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Asked if there was any way back for Sterling and the others, Maresca said: "With us? No."