How low can you go? Top club tries to force out former world star | OneFootball

It’s nothing new that Chelsea want to get rid of one of their top earners, Raheem Sterling, this summer. However, the means they are using to achieve this goal were not previously known.

The 30-year-old has been playing for the Blues since the summer of 2022. His contract with the English club runs until 2027, and with a reported weekly salary of around 350,000 euros, he costs Chelsea 18 million euros per year. That’s money FC Chelsea would gladly save. In recent years, Sterling has not been able to recapture his top form, and even a loan to Arsenal (just one goal in 28 appearances) did not bring the desired success. So, this summer, Sterling returned to Stamford Bridge. The former English wonderkid, it seems, has fallen into footballing obscurity.

The Londoners are doing a lot to get rid of their former star: a possible sale below market value, a high additional severance payment for the player upon departure. There was no shortage of potential buyers this summer either, but in the end, negotiations reportedly always broke down due to the 30-year-old’s high salary demands.

Since his return to London, Sterling has been sidelined at Chelsea, not even making the squad for the first three league games this season. For him and his advisors, this came as more than a surprise: “We have always had a positive dialogue with Chelsea about Raheem’s future at the club and also had assurances in this regard. That’s why we look forward to clarity being brought to this situation.” That clarity came for Sterling in the form of being moved to the so-called “bomb squad.”

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Because those in charge want to prevent a contract termination at all costs, they are taking more drastic measures. According to the 'BBC', in such a case, Chelsea would have to pay Sterling the remainder of his salary, amounting to 35 million euros. Reading about how Sterling is currently being isolated from his remaining teammates, one could quickly get the impression that Chelsea want to “bully” their top earner out of the club:

According to the 'Sun', Sterling, along with other transfer candidates, has been separated from the rest of the squad and placed in his own small locker room, even with a private toilet. He is not allowed to have contact with the actual first-team players during training, and even at mealtimes, the two groups are kept apart. And if you believe the words of coach Enzo Maresca, that won’t change in the future: “I don’t pay attention to those who have to train and leave.” That’s clear enough.

But there is still an opportunity for Sterling to get some playing time: the transfer windows in Saudi Arabia and Turkey are open for a few more days, but he reportedly is just as uninterested in a move to these countries as he is in a fresh start in the MLS. So, it looks like the striker wants to sit out his contract for now—at least until winter, when Chelsea can make another attempt to offload their former wonderkid.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

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