Raheem Sterling has literally been left out in the cold this season by Chelsea as the most high-profile member of the club’s infamous ‘bomb squad’.
The England international joined the Blues in a high-profile transfer from Manchester City three years ago but has shown only fleeting glimpses of his true ability.
Undermined by the constant upheaval at Stamford Bridge,Sterling was immediately deemed surplus to requirements by Enzo Maresca and spent the season on loan with Arsenal.
A reunion with Mikel Arteta failed to spark a renaissance and the 30-year-old struggled to win a regular place under the coach who was credited for playing such a huge role in his development at City.
Having returned to his parent club, Sterling has again been cast adrift by Maresca who bluntly confirmed that a player with 82 caps for the Three Lions would not be afforded an opportunity to win him over.
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‘They are Chelsea players because they have a contract with the club,’ the Blues boss said ahead of last week’s game against Bentford when asked if there was a way back for Sterling and fellow outcasts Axel Disasi and David Datro Fofana.
‘In this moment, they are still training apart. The idea is to continue in exactly the same way.
‘Since we started the season, I didnt see one of them. I didn’t see Renato (Veiga), I didn’t see Axel (Disasi), I didn’t see Raheem (Sterling), because they train at a different time on a different pitch. I haven’t seen them since we started the season.’
Asked if there was any way back into the first team for them, Maresca said: ‘With us? No.’
So out of the picture is Sterling at the moment that he has been forced to train separately from the rest of Chelsea’s first for the foreseeable future.
Taking to Instagram, Sterling showcased the grim reality of his exile with a picture that saw him took to the Cobham practice pitches late in the evening.
Sterling’s next opportunity to find a new club is likely to come in January and he will hope there will some renewed Premier League interest.
