Raheem Sterling Stripped of No.7 Shirt in the Wake of Chelsea Dispute

The tension surrounding Raheem Sterling's future at Chelsea has intensified as the club has decided to strip him of the No.7 shirt.

Sterling has been told privately and publicly by Enzo Maresca that he is not wanted at Stamford Bridge, with the England international one of several players exiled from first-team training.

Vice-captain Ben Chilwell has also been told to find a new club, while the likes of Trevoh Chalobah have known all summer that they are not part of the new manager’s plans.

Sterling’s agents had previously released a statement asking for ‘clarity’ on the forward’s future after he was surprisingly excluded from the matchday squad to face Manchester City last Sunday.

In a rather astonishing press conference on Wednesday, Maresca certainly provided that, telling reporters: ‘I spoke with Raheem before the Man City game. I said he’s going to struggle to get minutes with us and this is the reason.

‘I’m not saying Raheem is not a good player but I prefer different kinds of wingers and this is the reason why.

‘It’s not a comfortable situation. I know exactly the feeling but it’s good to know that if you stay you are going to struggle to get minutes.’

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And just a few hours later, Chelsea have made their position very clear to Sterling, taking away his prized No.7 shirt and handing it to new signing Pedro Neto.

It is an extraordinary move to do so before the player has even left the club, even more so when that player is the team’s highest earner on £300,000-a-week.

They’ve not stopped there though, with Chalobah also losing his No.14 shirt despite being no closer to a transfer away.

Joao Felix, who completed his move from Atletico Madrid to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday will no don the No.14.

More to follow…

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