"Every manager has a different idea" - Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca reiterates stance on Raheem Sterling
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has once again reiterated that Raheem Sterling is not part of his plans going forward. Despite Sterling’s impressive career and statistics, Maresca has been clear that the England international does not perfectly fit his vision of the ideal winger for his tactical setup at Chelsea.
Maresca's comments come amid ongoing discussions about Raheem Sterling's future at Stamford Bridge. The England international has been an outcast in the west London club as he was banished from the first-team squad along with some other players.
Ahead of the Blues’ second-leg UEFA Conference League qualifying match against Swiss side Servette, the Italian manager was asked a plethora of questions in a pre-match conference, one of which included his situation with Raheem Sterling. Responding, Maresca said (via Football London):
''I said already many times, he is a fantastic person. The only thing is that every manager has a different idea. He is not the type of winger I like. That says nothing about Raheem. The history and the numbers speak for Raheem.’’
Raheem Sterling joined Chelsea from Manchester City in 2022 for a reported fee of £47.5 million. In his two years at the club, he has scored 19 goals and provided 12 assists in 81 outings across competitions.
Vinnie Jones urges Raheem Sterling to retire after being exiled from Chelsea’s first-team squad
Vinnie Jones has urged Raheem Sterling to consider retiring from professional football following his recent exclusion from Chelsea’s first-team squad.
Jones believes that Sterling should seriously contemplate stepping away from the sport after a distinguished career rather than face the uncertainty and challenges that come with being sidelined at a club like Chelsea.
Sterling, who moved to Stamford Bridge in 2022, has found himself on the fringes of the squad under new management. The England international has been linked with a potential move to Manchester United, with Chelsea reportedly considering a swap deal involving Jadon Sancho. However, for Jones, the prospect of Sterling continuing his career elsewhere might not be the best path forward.
He told the Daily Mail:
"Sterling not being in the [Chelsea] squad was a little eyebrow-raiser," he told the Daily Mail. "Everything comes to an end though and he's done all right. He scored a few goals, and he might do a job for someone else, but he's had a fantastic career and if I was him, I might think about going into something else."
"He must be financially set up for life. So, go and enjoy life. He's given the sport a lot in terms of England fans and at Liverpool and Man City. He's given a lot of fans a lot of enjoyment over the years and I don't like seeing top players like him drift down through the leagues."
He continued:
"I hope he doesn't do that. I had a journalist once say that I would end up back at Wealdstone. So, I spent my whole career proving him wrong. What they've got is a massive chequebook, and they're desperate to get back to the days under Roman Abramovich, aren't they?"
"I think you'll see quite a few of them, sort of either left out or moving on in the last week of the transfer window, as that's a b****y big squad to pay wages to. With 40 odd players, I don't know how that's going to pan out."
Vinnie Jones played for Chelsea from 1991–1992, scoring four goals in 46 appearances for the club across competitions.