Chelsea’s Bomb Squad Grows as Sterling and Chilwell Train Separately

Chelsea’s outcast players, including Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell, are believed to be training in a separate group, away from the first team and youth side, as the club prepares to start their European journey against Servette on Thursday.

Head coach Enzo Maresca has been brutally honest with his players, stating that he doesn’t care about the length of their contracts, and will axe them if he believes it’s best for the team. This tough stance has led to the sidelining of Sterling and Chilwell, adding to the growing list of players that make up Chelsea’s bomb squad, which could see over 10 players leave this summer.

In a stern press conference, Maresca emphasized that his priority is to make decisions that benefit the team, regardless of the players’ contracts. He stated, “If they are looking for minutes, then it’s better if they leave. If they do not leave, then they have a contract here, and they are Chelsea players.”

Enzo Maresca has been brutally honest with a number of members of his overstuffed squad

Maresca’s comments come days after it was revealed that Sterling’s representatives were seeking clarity on his future after being left out of the squad for Chelsea’s season-opening loss to Manchester City. The news has overshadowed Chelsea’s £45.5million signing of Joao Felix, announced just 15 minutes prior to Maresca’s press conference.

Both Ben Chilwell (left) and Raheem Sterling (right) have been training separately this week

Maresca has been accused of being callous, but he defended his approach, stating, “I don’t think so. I try to be honest. I can repeat again if it’s not clear: I spoke with Raheem before the (Manchester) City game. I said he is going to struggle to get minutes with us. With Chilly, I said he is a lovely guy, but he is going to struggle because of his position. If you define this as ‘brutal’, it’s up to you to decide. For me, it’s not brutal, it’s just honest.”

When questioned about the long-term contracts posing a problem, Maresca replied, “This is not my problem. I am here to make decisions and decide what the best is for the team. I am not here to talk about how many years contract. It’s not my job.”

Chelsea’s preparations for their European campaign are well underway, with Maresca’s tough stance on his players sending a clear message that only the best will make the cut. As the Blues look to balance the books with summer exits, it remains to be seen which players will be part of the squad come the end of the transfer window.

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