Raheem Sterling was the subject of late interest from a top European club on deadline day, according to reports.
The England international has two years left on his contract at Chelsea, but his future at the club is unclear after Enzo Maresca confirmed that the forward is not part of his plans this season.
Sterling last featured for the Blues in May 2024, spending last season on loan at Arsenal.
But the 30-year-old failed to make a case for his permanent move to the Emirates at the end of the last campaign, after scoring just once and registering a further five assists in his 28 appearances.
Instead, Sterling returned to west London and was placed in his manager’s ‘bomb squad’ of outcast stars – but unlike former team-mates including Nicolas Jackson, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Joao Felix, he failed to secure a transfer away from the club.
Daily Mail Sport reported that the former Manchester City player is believed to have been keen to stay in the capital should he move on.
Raheem Sterling was subject to late interest by a number of top European clubs in the window
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has ruled out Sterling stepping back into his Blues squad
But according to Telegraph Sport, there was greater interest from clubs abroad, including a deadline day inquiry from Chelsea’s first Champions League opponents Bayern Munich.
The Bundesliga giants were in the thick of discussions over Jackson – who did eventually book a loan move to the Allianz after an 11th-hour delay following injury to Chelsea’s summer signing Liam Delap – and are believed to have also considered bringing in Sterling.
Serie A champions Napoli were also thought to have been interested in the player, but Sterling is allegedly interested in remaining in England, if not London itself.
The player’s mammoth £325,000-per-week wages were believed to have been a stumbling block for a number of suitors.
Daily Mail Sport also reported at the start of the month that Sterling is unwilling to move to Saudi Arabia, despite the Saudi Pro League’s window remaining open until September 23.
Maresca was blunt when asked about the prospects of Sterling and fellow remaining bomb squad member Axel Disasi ahead of Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Brentford.
‘They are Chelsea players, but at the moment they are training separately and the plan is to continue in this way,’ the Italian manager said.
‘Since the season started, I haven’t seen either of them. I haven’t seen Axel or Raheem.
Had Sterling taken up a move to Bayern Munich he would have joined ex-Chelsea team-mate Nicolas Jackson
They train at a different time and on a different pitch. I haven’t seen them since the start of the season.’
Sterling and Disasi – as well as striker David Datro Fofana – are however still registered as part of the club’s Premier League squad this season.
Sterling was signed for £50million in 2022 as one of the first incomings of Chelsea’s new BlueCo ownership group.
Since then, the former Liverpool star has made 81 appearances, and scored 19 goals, with a further 15 assists to his name.
