New Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has made it clear that holding direct talks with Raheem Sterling is an immediate priority, as the England winger's future at the club remains deeply uncertain.
Sterling's Chelsea exile under previous regime
Raheem Sterling has been training away from Chelsea's first-team squad, effectively part of a so-called 'bomb squad' at the club's Cobham training ground. This situation developed under previous boss Enzo Maresca, who showed no intention of reintegrating the experienced forward.
Sterling, now 31, joined Chelsea from Manchester City in the summer of 2023 for a significant fee of £47.5 million. However, his time in West London has failed to match the heights of his career at the Etihad, where he scored 131 goals and was crowned the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year in 2019.
His stint at Chelsea has yielded just 19 goals in 81 appearances. A loan spell at Arsenal last season did little to revive his fortunes, as he remained a peripheral figure at the Emirates Stadium.
Rosenior's pledge for frank discussions
Speaking after taking charge of his first match—an FA Cup victory over Charlton Athletic—Rosenior confirmed that conversations with Sterling and fellow exile Axel Disasi are firmly on his agenda.
"I will have conversations with them," Rosenior stated. "We're in January, as you know. Raheem's had an outstanding career. I've got huge respect for him. Axel is someone I've really, really liked as a player for a long time."
The new manager emphasised the necessity of these talks, adding: "Honestly, I have to have a conversation with them. I have to have a conversation with the club. I'm being genuinely honest. I literally have got to work through a list of priorities. I will do in the next few days."
Looking inwards before the transfer market
In a notable shift from Chelsea's recent strategy of heavy spending under owner Todd Boehly, Rosenior suggested his initial focus would be on assessing the squad he has inherited rather than seeking immediate new signings.
"I also think sometimes the answers lie within the building and not outside," he remarked. "So I'll make a decision on that with the guys. Probably later in the week when I've seen everyone."
This approach indicates a potential reprieve for Sterling, whose career is at a significant crossroads. Transfer speculation has linked him with a possible move across London to Fulham, but Rosenior's impending discussions could yet determine his short-term fate.
The coming days at Chelsea's training ground will be critical, as Rosenior evaluates whether a player once considered among England's finest can still play a part for the Blues, or if a January departure is the most likely outcome for all parties.
