Chelsea Q&A: Raheem Sterling, Victor Osimhen, Enzo Fernandez latest and more | Football News

Sky Sports activities Information’ Kaveh Solhekol solutions the important thing questions across the on and off-field drama that is happening at Chelsea.

The Blues kicked off their Premier League season with defeat to Man Metropolis, which was marred by ahead Raheem Sterling issued an announcement after his omission from the matchday squad.

Amid a busy summer time for brand spanking new boss Enzo Maresca, Sky Sports activities Information’ chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol explains the story round a few of these huge points…

Is Raheem Sterling going to depart Chelsea earlier than the window closes?

Chelsea would take heed to affords for him. He is on huge wages in comparison with gamers they’re bringing in and I really feel Chelsea would love him to go. Maybe that might be a possible mortgage deal, which may ease the wage burden.

However as he stated in his assertion, he has three years left on his contract and is inside his rights to remain and combat for a spot within the workforce. Nonetheless, on Sunday, there have been 5 large gamers within the squad and he wasn’t certainly one of them.

Enzo Maresca spoke to him on Friday and defined for technical causes he would not be concerned. If you happen to learn between the strains, the message being despatched to him is his future is probably not at this membership.

I believe Sterling has been instructed: ‘now we have quite a lot of gamers in your place, we’ll most likely signal extra gamers in your place as properly. Somebody in your standing and your expertise, we wish to let that now’s the time so that you can be taking a look at different choices’.

I do not assume he is somebody who has threatened to go on strike or throw their toys out of the pram. What he has stated is: ‘There’s solely two weeks to go till the window closes. You are not leaving me a lot time.’

He is now contemplating all his choices after lacking out on the match-day squad to face his former aspect on Sunday. He is completely satisfied and settled at Stamford Bridge however won’t keep on the membership if he isn’t wished. Any potential exit must go well with all events, together with his household.

Sterling has communicated that he needs to talk overtly with the membership about his future and Maresca will maintain talks with him. Juventus have beforehand made contact relating to his availability earlier within the window.

Is Ben Chilwell’s time at Chelsea up too?

Chelsea have been diplomatic round Chilwell – nevertheless it’s clear Maresca does not see him becoming into his model of play. He is nonetheless coaching with the primary workforce, though he was unwell final week.

However like Sterling, he’s one other huge earner. The house owners inherited a squad with many gamers incomes huge cash and one of many important targets has been to chop the wage invoice.

Now, the typical wage is about £70k per week (with huge bonuses and incentives). However the huge earners have a goal on their again. Kepa Arrizabalaga is one other huge earner – what’s subsequent for him after his mortgage to Actual Madrid did not work out?

Conor Gallagher appears to be in limbo – will he keep or go?

The expectation at Chelsea is he shall be leaving. The membership gave him a while off after the transfer to Atletico Madrid stalled and he is needed to begin his pre-season nearly from scratch. Apparently, he wasn’t listed on the membership’s matchday programme for the Man Metropolis match.

Chelsea have now agreed a everlasting take care of Atletico for Joao Felix, which might permit Gallagher to finish his £36m (€42m) transfer to the Spanish aspect. Felix is predicted to signal a six-year deal at Stamford Bridge, with the choices to increase his keep for an additional yr.

The Spanish membership have already spent huge on former Man Metropolis man Julian Alvarez and wanted to promote Felix earlier than signing the English midfielder.

Are the house owners damaging the connection with the fanbase by making an attempt to promote standard homegrown gamers corresponding to Gallagher?

The followers definitely love Gallagher. He was captain for lots of video games final season and you could possibly hear the followers singing his identify when Erling Haaland scored Man Metropolis’s opener.

Trevoh Chalobah, one other academy graduate, wasn’t listed on the matchday programme, both. Neither had been Armando Broja – who appears set to go on mortgage to Ipswich – or Romelu Lukaku (extra on him under).

From the house owners’ perspective, they are going to say they purchased a membership on its knees – and once they acquired inside, the membership’s scenario was worse than they thought. Chelsea had been sanctioned by the federal government and had been deemed to have fallen behind golf equipment corresponding to Man Metropolis, Liverpool and Arsenal. They felt they needed to begin from scratch they usually have changed nearly everybody – recruitment groups, medical groups, groundsmen… The tempo of change is horrifying.

Lots of Chelsea followers will say it wasn’t that dangerous. That they had an excellent supervisor in Thomas Tuchel, they received the Champions League and had been Membership World Cup champions three months earlier than the brand new house owners arrived. The followers will say it did not want emergency surgical procedure – and maybe they really feel the soul has been ripped out of the membership. That an excessive amount of modified too shortly they usually have been left with a beginning XI they cannot establish with.

The house owners will counter that and say it would take time. However that is the season the place it’s important to choose the house owners. They’ve the construction, head coach, model of play and squad they need. There are not any extra excuses.

Was it proper handy Enzo Fernandez the captain’s armband so quickly after the racism storm he was concerned in?

It was a wierd resolution and brings undesirable headlines, extra controversy. He’s nonetheless underneath investigation by FIFA for that incident.

Maresca says he made a mistake however it’s greater than making a mistake – it’s important to be seen to be punished. It could have been controversial simply to play him however to make him captain? Reece James is membership captain, though he’s injured once more and Maresca did not clearly state James would stay captain when he was requested in pre-season, describing him as “one of many captains”.

In distinction to Fernandez on Sunday, we noticed Mateo Kovacic rating the clinching purpose for Man Metropolis, a central midfielder Chelsea offered for £25m slicing by way of a midfield which value over £200m.

There’s quite a lot of youth on this Chelsea workforce, however the place are the leaders?

Is the Romelu Lukaku/Victor Osimhen commerce with Napoli going to come back off?

Napoli want Lukaku, Chelsea want Osimhen – the sensible cash is on these offers occurring.

Osimhen would change the temper at Chelsea. He is the participant Chelsea followers need. He has acquired the character, expertise and presence they want. Somebody within the mould of Didier Drogba or Diego Costa. A celebrity. However the issue is his wages.

Napoli cannot afford him. They gave him a brand new contract however he is on large wages. He wasn’t concerned on Sunday of their dangerous defeat to Verona and is coaching away from the primary workforce. PSG are additionally within the combine however Chelsea know Napoli need Lukaku.

Chelsea do not wish to pay over odds, although – they usually will not be paying him £300k per week.

Chelsea have obtained an official bid from Napoli for Lukaku. It’s understood the proposal is an preliminary mortgage with an obligation to purchase. The whole bundle is value £25.5m (€30m) – together with the mortgage charge.

Chelsea have made it clear they need a everlasting deal and the provide falls brief in two respects: the general valuation and the truth that it’s a mortgage plus an obligation are usually not passable to Chelsea.

It is a deal which appears like it would occur – however nearer to deadline day.

And that’s once we can actually choose the form of this Chelsea squad: when the switch window is closed, when the gamers who they need out are gone and those they need in have or have not arrived.