Rio Ferdinand has criticised Chelsea for their treatment of Raheem Sterling after he was unexpectedly taken off in the Premier League’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City.
Sterling’s team exclusively revealed to Mail Sport on Sunday that the player was “seeking clarity” over his future and that his exclusion was unexpected.
Ferdinand has warned Chelsea chiefs about the dangers of treating an ‘uncle’ figure in such a ‘savage’ manner.
He also claimed Sterling’s treatment was part of a wider trend of apathy at Stamford Bridge, with players learning key information via email rather than in person.
“I see all the young players, especially in that team, talking about Raheem, he’s like Uncle Raheem. Cole Palmer, people like Reece James, he’s Uncle Raheem,” the former Manchester United star said in Rio Ferdinand presents.
Rio Ferdinand has criticised Chelsea’s treatment of Raheem Sterling after he was omitted from their squad against Manchester City
Sterling’s team have exclusively revealed to Mail Sport that they are “seeking clarity” over his future
Enzo Maresca said it was a purely technical decision to leave Sterling out against Manchester City
‘And he’s taken care of a lot of these guys, they come to him, so when you kick that guy in the locker room, they’re all going to limp at some point and they’re not going to take it well and you create a problem in your own locker room.
‘There’s no one who is getting that message across clearly and from what I’ve heard, he (Sterling) doesn’t understand what his situation is.
‘No one in the hierarchy has approached him and said: ‘Listen, you’re redundant, we want to get rid of you.’
‘And what I’m hearing is that the last conversation we had was something like ‘everything’s fine.’
“I’ve been told that they are being informed (of the news) by email and things like that. It’s crazy.”
Joleon Lescott agreed, calling it “savage” that “someone of that stature in a Chelsea team” could be dismissed in such a way.
He added: ‘You’re going to ask a player to leave and obviously there are years on contracts so you want to leave in good faith because then players are fine when the circumstances are right, you leave a little bit on the table to go somewhere else, but if you treat me like a piece of shit then I’m not going to do you any favours.’
Sterling joined Chelsea from Manchester City in 2022 and has since scored 19 goals in 81 games, but is among a number of players the club look set to try and offload.
Ferdinand says Sterling is seen as an ‘uncle’ figure by players like Reece James
Cole Palmer also sees him as an “uncle” figure, Ferdinand said, as he “looks after” the players.
He could now be forced to look for an exit route from Stamford Bridge amid the shock sacking.
Asked about Sterling’s exclusion, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said: “I want Raheem Sterling, but we have 30 players, there is not room for everyone, so some have to go.”
He added: “The coach has to make some decisions. Sometimes the players don’t like it, that’s normal. It’s just a technical decision, nothing more than that. With Raheem, we’ll clarify that in the next few days.”
A statement from Sterling’s team ahead of Sunday’s game said: ‘Raheem Sterling is under contract with Chelsea Football Club for the next three years.
‘He returned to England two weeks earlier for individual training and has had a positive pre-season under the new manager, with whom he has developed a good working relationship.
‘He is committed, as ever, to performing at the highest level for Chelsea FC and the fans, who he holds in high regard, and given his inclusion in the club’s official pre-match material this week, our expectation was that Raheem would feature in this weekend’s fixture in some capacity.
‘As a team, we have always had positive dialogue and assurances with Chelsea FC regarding 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 on a positive note.”
Sterling has been linked with a possible exit from Stamford Bridge this summer, but his non-inclusion in the squad suggests his Chelsea future could lie elsewhere.
Daniel Sturridge has defended Sterling’s ability and claimed he is “good enough” for Chelsea
Sturridge and Sterling played together for England for several years, and both played for Liverpool.
Sterling has been linked with a possible exit from Stamford Bridge this summer and his absence from Sunday’s game could indicate his future lies elsewhere.
Juventus are among the clubs interested in Sterling, who could reportedly leave before the transfer window closes.
Ferdinand is not the only pundit backing Sterling, the 82-time England cap who spoke earlier this summer of his desire to return to the national team after not playing since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Daniel Sturridge also criticised the Blues’ decision to leave Sterling among the group of players excluded from Sunday’s squad, although competition is fierce in a 43-man squad.
“I want to say that I have a lot of affection and respect for Raheem Sterling as a football player,” Sturridge began. “As a man, he’s like a younger brother to me.
“It’s not the ideal time, especially on match day. But he will feel good enough to help Chelsea Football Club.
‘In his mind he’s probably thinking: ‘I’m facing City today, my old club, go out and play’. I think there’s probably a bit of a surprise in not being involved.
“I don’t agree with the message that is being given on a daily basis. Obviously, it’s not the right time, but Raheem Sterling, in my opinion, is a good enough player to be in the Chelsea squad.”
Meanwhile, Micah Richards was more severe in his assessment of Sterling and his team’s statement.
Meanwhile, Micah Richards criticised the timing of the statement, which was released moments before Chelsea’s first game of the season.
Chelsea were beaten by Manchester City on Sunday night at Stamford Bridge, with Mateo Kovacic (second from right) scoring against his former club.
Sterling’s arrival at Stamford Bridge coincided with a period of turbulence following the club’s change of ownership, with Todd Boehly (pictured) now in charge.
“But we’ve all been left out, haven’t we? We’ve all been left out and we’d all like to make statements, but Raheem and his team know exactly what they’re doing,” he said.
‘They are trying to make noise. There was a lot of noise in the club anyway. Everyone is talking about the players, everyone is talking about the owners, everyone is talking about whether we can guess Chelsea’s starting XI. Making that statement before the game is not enough.
“I love Raheem as a player. I’ve interviewed him and he’s a really nice guy, but that doesn’t matter. We’re talking about the events of today. That’s not going to help his teammates and it’s probably not going to help him get back into the team.”