Jamie Carragher has offered his opinion on the Raheem Sterling saga after the winger was left out of Chelsea’s squad.
On Sunday afternoon, Chelsea welcomed reigning Premier League champions Manchester City to Stamford Bridge to kick off their 24/25 campaign.
Prior to the match, Englishman Sterling was left out of the playing squad, leading to his representatives releasing a statement seeking clarity over his future.
It read: “Raheem Sterling is contracted to Chelsea Football Club for the next three years. He returned to England two weeks early to conduct individual training, and has had a positive pre-season under the new coach, who he has developed a good working relationship with.
"He is committed, as ever, to delivering at the highest level for Chelsea FC and the fans, who he holds in high regard, and given his inclusion in official club pre-match material this week, our expectation was that Raheem would be involved in this weekend’s fixture in some capacity.
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"As a camp, we have always had positive dialogue with, and assurance from, Chelsea FC in relation to Raheem’s future at the club, so we look forward to gaining clarity on the situation.
"Until then, we will continue to support Raheem’s desire to start the new season positively."
Now, former Liverpool and England defender Carragher has offered his opinion on the matter.
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He wrote on social media: “Massive fan of Raheem as a player & a lad. Not a fan of the Chelsea set up with owners etc…But this statement is ridiculous!
“As a camp………..! We look forward to gaining clarity…….!!
No need for a statement, especially an hour before kick off!! Just play better.”
When asked about his decision to overlook Sterling prior to the match, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said: “It’s just a technical decision, nothing else to say.
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“Managers are paid to make decisions and sometimes players don’t like it.”
Topics: Raheem Sterling, Jamie Carragher, Chelsea, Manchester City, Football
Marcus Chan