- Raheem Sterling is training alone at 8pm after being excluded from Chelsea’s main squad for the 2025/26 season
- The England winger turned down lucrative moves to Saudi Arabia and the USA to stay in the Premier League
- Sterling will remain at Chelsea until at least January, earning ₦665m per week despite being frozen out
Raheem Sterling’s time at Chelsea has taken a dramatic turn, with the England winger now training alone late in the evenings at the club’s Cobham facility.
The 30-year-old forward failed to secure a move away from Stamford Bridge during the summer transfer window after spending last season at Arsenal, and now finds himself isolated from Enzo Maresca’s main squad.
Source: Getty Images
Despite earning £325,000 (₦665 million) per week, Sterling’s future looks uncertain as he remains frozen out until at least January, The Sun reports.
His current situation paints a picture of how ruthless Chelsea have become in managing players they no longer consider part of their plans.
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From key signing to the ‘Bomb Squad’
Chelsea signed Sterling for £47.5 million from Manchester City in 2022, expecting him to be a cornerstone of their attack.
Two seasons later, the England winger has been relegated to what is known as the “bomb squad,” a small group of players no longer involved with the first team.
According to the Daily Mail, Sterling posted an Instagram story showing himself preparing for a solo training session at 8:21pm, confirming that he is being made to train alone.
Reports claim the 30-year-old forward has also been told to eat separately and use different facilities from the rest of the first-team squad.
Sterling is joined in exile by defender Axel Disasi, while Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, and David Datro Fofana recently secured moves away to escape a similar fate.
Sterling picks tough choice
Sterling’s summer was filled with speculation, with Bayern Munich reportedly considering a late move before opting to sign Nicolas Jackson, while Napoli turned to Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund.
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Source: Getty Images
The Blues wanted to offload the England winger to reduce their wage bill, but he rejected offers from Saudi Arabia and the United States.
Sterling’s preferred choice is to remain in the Premier League, even if that means being sidelined from Chelsea’s first team until the January window.
What comes next for Sterling?
With four months before the next transfer window opens, Sterling faces a long wait to revive his career.
Unless there is a sudden change of heart from Chelsea, the 30-year-old forward will continue training alone and remain away from Maresca’s matchday squad.
The situation underlines Chelsea’s hard stance on players unwilling to leave, and Sterling’s exile could force him to reconsider his future options, with a potential January exit likely to attract renewed interest from both Europe and abroad.
Why Chelsea are desperate to sell Sterling
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Sterling found himself left out of Chelsea’s opening day squad list for the clash against Manchester City, a decision that head coach, Enzo Maresca, dubbed “technical”.
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Sterling’s current contract with Chelsea does not include a clause for a pay reduction if the club fails to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Source: Legit.ng
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