Football pundits and commentators alike had long been discussing Chelsea’s transfer policy under Todd Boehly, and pretty much as many had predicted, the claims suggesting a squad implosion are starting to come true.
Chelsea have been selling players many of the Stamford Bridge faithful wanted to keep (the latest rumour being Conor Gallagher) and plenty in their bloated first team know they are out of favour and freely available for transfer – yet many of them are on big money contract with over five years left to run and that will put off new suitors.
The latest player to air their own concerns is former 82 capped England international and four time Premier League winner, Raheem Sterling. The 29 year old did not take too kindly to new manager Enzo Maresca leaving him out of their opening day fixture against Manchester City and his representatives quickly went to the media to ‘clarify’ his position and future at the club as there was an apparent ‘expectation’ that he would be involved – Sterling was of course, one of Boehly’s big money signings back at the very beginning.
Maresca described his omission from the squad as simply being a ‘technical decision’ with an acknowledgement that he cannot keep every player happy – but that is exactly the point many in the wider world of football have long been making, and it stretches back to Graham Potter’s stint as gaffer given the incredible spending that seemed to have no real plan behind it.
The reaction to his statement has also been predictable, the timing of it – an hour before their kick off against Pep Guardiola’s team was heavily criticised, not least for the team aspect attitude it implied. However, along with that criticism was a huge dose of understanding for the position many players at the club now find themselves in.
Maresca had also commented that he wanted ‘Raheem Sterling’ amongst his options this year, but that he also wanted the 30 players that they have – despite having a 42 man squad overall.
Clearly Gallagher, Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah and Romelu Lukaku are not the only players with concerns surrounding their own futures at the club, and former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin commented that Sterling seemed to be simply ‘the next one on the block’ as they desperately grapple with the problem they themselves have caused.
As Nevin noted, Sterling’s statement could naturally push his transfer value down as Chelsea will know they have an unhappy player on their hands and interested clubs will use that to their advantage – if Chelsea were to hold out for their own valuation, that in turn sends a message to potential future signings who could see their own career’s stall if Chelsea’s vision again changed.
Either way, it is not a great situation they find themselves in, particularly given their top flight performance levels since any understanding in the squad has been ripped apart by so many new faces.