Sterling in Chelsea’s prison – main star of the bomb squad

Raheem Sterling and Chelsea have reached the point of no return. The partnership doesn’t work anymore — yet an immediate separation is easier said than done.

The reason? Money. According to the BBC, cutting ties with Sterling would cost Chelsea around 35 million euros, the amount still owed on his contract. The club is unwilling to swallow that figure. Interest has surfaced: Napoli and Bayer Leverkusen have asked questions, and big-money proposals came from Saudi Arabia — offers Sterling declined. The outcome: stalemate. He remains at Stamford Bridge but has no real role in the team.

Since leaving Manchester City for Chelsea in 2022, Sterling has failed to establish himself. New managers pushed him to the margins, and today he’s little more than a costly substitute. For now, all signs suggest he’ll sit tight until at least the January transfer window, when another attempt will be made to move him on.

Behind the scenes, the club has already taken steps to distance itself from the forward. The Sun reports Sterling has been separated from the main group at Cobham. He is said to be in a smaller changing room with other players marked for departure, forbidden from joining the first team in training sessions or meals. Even bathroom facilities are kept apart.

Coach Enzo Maresca has been blunt about the situation: “I don’t pay attention to those who train and have to leave.” His words leave little room for interpretation — Sterling won’t be part of Chelsea’s plans again.

The Blues now find themselves stuck. Each month, they continue to pay a player who, for sporting purposes, has already left the building.