Raheem Sterling tops a list of nine Chelsea players who have been brutally banished from Enzo Maresca’s first-team – and from the club’s website.
Sterling, 30, and his fellow outcasts do not feature in Maresca’s plans next season and as such, none of them have a profile or photo in the Blues’ first-team section.
The forward spent the previous campaign on loan at Arsenal and Chelsea are actively working to ship him out permanently during the summer window.
He moved to Stamford Bridge from Manchester City just three years ago in a deal worth a little under £50million, having won four Premier League titles at the Etihad.
However, his stint at Chelsea rapidly unfolded into a nightmare, resulting in him making a last-ditch switch to North London, where he scored one goal in 27 matches.
Maresca has made it clear that Sterling is not included in his plans and the clock is now ticking as the Blues look to find buyers for their unwanted players.
Raheem Sterling does not feature in Chelsea’s first-team on the club’s website
Sterling is not in Enzo Maresca’s plans next season and is available for a permanent move
The forward spent the last campaign on loan at Arsenal but made a handful of appearance
Mail Sport reported that those up for sale, such as Sterling and left back Ben Chilwell, are expected to continue training separately to Maresca’s main group.
Chelsea have spent big this summer, splashing the cash on forwards Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens from Brighton and Borussia Dortmund respectively. That resulted in Sterling slipping further away from the first-team picture – and off the website.
Two other players who do not have profiles, Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu, are set to join Premier League newcomers Burnley after a day of breakthroughs.
Their exact fees have not yet been confirmed but are likely to be around £20m each.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is another on his way out. Indeed, as reported by Mail Sport, Everton began talks over a deal worth an inital £25m plus add-ons.
The midfielder set Chelsea back £30m when they swooped to bring him in from Leicester City last season, but he made just two top-flight starts under Maresca.
Academy graduate Alfie Gilchrist is also missing a first-team profile on the website, joining Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Renato Veiga and David Datro Fofana in the doldrums, and on the edge of Maresca’s bloated senior group.
Officially, there are 31 players currently listed as first-teamers.
Sterling is expected to continue training away from the main group at Stamford Bridge
He has been joined by eight other outcasts, including Ben Chilwell, left off of the website
However, several big names who have made the cut could also find themselves leaving before the window slams shut on September 1, such as Christopher Nkunku.
Mykhailo Mudryk has been given a profile photo despite being charged by the FA for violating its anti-doping rules after failing a drugs test. He faces a four-year ban.
Mudryk has not played for Chelsea since November 28 and cannot train.
