Former Arsenal player and football pundit Paul Merson has slammed Chelsea for the way they have handled the Raheem Sterling situation.
The English winger has been dropped from the squad by manager Enzo Maresca and told that he has no future at Stamford Bridge.
The former Manchester City winger demanded clarity over his future and since then, the Blues have told him that he will be sold this summer and he has no place in the plans of the new manager.
Chelsea have a number of wide options at the club and their latest signing of Pedro Neto from Wolves have added another winger to their extremely huge squad.
Merson has criticised the way Chelsea have gone about in handling the events surrounding the Sterling fiasco.
In an interview with Sky Sports, the Arsenal legend has spoken of his surprise at what has happened at Stamford Bridge and what Chelsea should not have done.
‘It’s very rare that you get rid of players that you’ve already got and Raheem comes under that,’ he said.
‘He’s better than some of the wingers at Chelsea, there’s no doubt about that.
‘I find it really strange – I hope the manager’s not being dictated from above and he’s saying what they want him to say because when you’re a manager of a big football club like Chelsea who want to win things you’ve got to do it your way.
‘It’s not a good start so far if I’m being honest. It’s like a soap opera…but it doesn’t look good – [Previous manager Mauricio] Pochettino had been out of work for a while and then in the end he can’t really wait to get out of Chelsea.’
The Blues want to find a solution as soon as possible with just over a week left in the transfer window to shut down.
They want the player to leave the club in a permanent move this summer but it remains to be seen which club will come ahead with an offer for the 29-year-old.
Sterling has experience at the top level and his numbers have been impressive throughout his career.
He could prove to be an important signing for many clubs across the Premier League and with the club desperate to sell him this summer, he could be available in a bargain deal.
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