Never a dull day. Chelsea started the Enzo Maresca era with defeat, but Manchester City were the opponents and it was a promising performance against the champions at the start of the Premier League campaign.
Were it not for a more clinical presence in attack or a more stable presence in goal – with Nicolas Jackson failing to fire at one end, while Robert Sanchez caved in at the other – the outcome may have been far different on Maresca's opening bow in top-flight football.
That said, what the result did outline is that the Stamford Bridge first team is bloated, although a host of players are expected to be shipped on before the close of the transfer window this month, with Raheem Sterling's exclusion from the match and subsequent statement suggesting that he is going to depart sooner rather than later.
Raheem Sterling's future at Chelsea
Sterling, through his representatives, has issued a response calling for "clarity" on his future in west London after being omitted from the Blues' first match of the season.
Chelsea's scattergun spending under American ownership has puzzled many, and while there might be a secret in the sauce somewhere, at present, it's left the new manager to contend with a heavily bloated crop that has forced him to make a call.
Sterling, signed from Man City for £45m only two years ago, has scored 19 goals and supplied 12 assists across 81 matches. He is Chelsea's joint-highest earner but whether he makes the strongest 11 is questionable – clearly.
1.
Raheem Sterling
£325k-per-week
1.
Romelu Lukaku
£325k-per-week
3.
Reece James
£250k-per-week
4.
Ben Chilwell
£200k-per-week
5.
Wesley Fofana
£195k-per-week
Should the 29-year-old be sold this month, it seems like Paul Winstanley and co will move for a replacement. Joao Felix is the no. 1 target at the moment with an agreement having now been reached, but it seems like Chelsea are hoping to augment their frontline even further, with Manchester United's Jadon Sancho the latest to be added to the shopping list.
Chelsea could be set for Sterling 2.0
The circus that has surrounded Chelsea in recent years appears to have been quelled somewhat – the club has a vision and the storm, time will tell, might abate this term.
But signing Sancho would not only be a mistake but a regression, highlighting a lack of direction that might hinder the club's prospects of bettering last season's Conference League qualification and pushing further up the table – perhaps even winning a slice of silverware.
According to the Daily Mail, Paris Saint-Germain's £51m transfer bid for the 24-year-old has collapsed. Now, as per German outlet Fussball.news, the Blues are interested in signing him, chucking two academy players into the equation as a makeweight.
Sancho, widely regarded as a prodigious talent during his time at Borussia Dortmund, completed a stunning £73m transfer to Old Trafford in 2021, but three years later, he has only scored nine goals from 58 Premier League appearances.
Indeed, once lauded as a "phenomenon" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the fleet-footed winger never quite clicked into gear with the Red Devils, with his frustrations personified through a significant fall-out with Erik ten Hag that cast him into the shadows and prompted a loan move back to Dortmund for the latter half of the 2023/24 campaign.
Chelsea might feel that they could often him a platform to restore his career – he showcased his enduring quality once again over in Germany last season – but it would be a significant risk for a player who currently takes home £250k per week.
Moreover, he doesn't offer the kind of end product that is required. Chelsea played with fizz at points under Mauricio Pochettino last season but were routinely let down by wayward finishing and a lack of incisiveness in the final third.
Were Sterling to be replaced by his struggling countryman, it would offer no promise of a triumphant resolution. Indeed, Sancho, on his current wages, would be Chelsea's joint-third-highest earner.
If the club are to head in an auspicious direction this season, which is imperative after several years of malaise, any notion of signing Sancho must be immediately dismissed.
This is not to slander Sancho's skillset. There is every chance that he will find his feet and enjoy a successful career, but Chelsea have been heavily active in the market and do not need him.
Felix, for example, might prove to be a shrewd signing for the outfit, having enjoyed a half-decent attempt on loan in 2022/23, scoring four times from just 11 Premier League starts during the nadir of the Todd Boehly era so far.
A dynamic and silky player, Felix typically operates on the left side of the attack, whereas Sancho is often found on the alternate flank, so it's feasible to conceive that Chelsea believe they can house both players, but questions must be asked of the prudence, even if Sterling is to be relieved from the books.
And how could we forget – Pedro Neto has recently been signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £54m fee, adding to the likes of Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Omari Kellyman as Chelsea's current senior options out wide – that is probably an inexhaustive list.
While it's somewhat poignant that Sterling is likely to bow out, it does make sense, and Maresca must streamline the squad for the year ahead, with supporters not likely to get on board with the new project if hindered by overabundant numbers.
Therefore, Chelsea must ensure that they get the deal for Felix over the line, but they must also ensure that Sterling is sold and Sancho is not brought in to replace him.
Not just Sterling: £50m star will likely now never play for Chelsea again
Raheem Sterling was not included in the Chelsea squad to face his former employers.
ByMatt DawsonAug 19, 2024