Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has insisted he wants to keep Raheem Sterling at Stamford Bridge but acknowledged that the Blues’ bloated squad will likely lead to some unwanted exits.

Maresca, who described Sterling as an “important player” for the squad in pre-season, made the surprising decision to leave the winger out of his squad for Sunday’s Premier League opener against Manchester City.

A response from Sterling’s representatives quickly emerged, although it has since been stressed that their statement was not issued an hour before kick-off and was actually made following rumours Sterling could be dropped in the days leading up to the City fixture. Only when Sterling’s omission was official did the response emerge.

Maresca described the snub as a “technical decision” but was later asked bluntly whether he expects Sterling to still be at the club at the end of the transfer window.

“I don’t know,” Maresca confessed. “The only thing I can say is that it was a technical decision and in the next day, we will want to sit and clarify the situation but it is nothing more than that.

“For all the players, they are Chelsea players. If they are going to be Chelsea players, then we will try to use them but no more than technical decision. I want Raheem Sterling but I want all the 30 players we have. But there is no space for all of them. So for some of them, they have to leave.”

Also left out alongside Sterling were Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and Axel Disasi.

Chilwell’s omission was hardly a surprise after Maresca openly admitted the left-back should pursue a move away, but questions were asked about the futures of Chukwuemeka and Disasi.

Maresca admitted Disasi had not been fully fit heading into the game, but for Chukwuemeka, he suggested the 20-year-old’s future may lie away from Stamford Bridge.

“I think every case is different,” Maresca said. “Carney, I think he is a very good player.

“The problem is, because of some injuries in the past, I think the best for him is to play 30 or 35 games in a row, to show himself that he is fit and how good he is because he is very good. With us, is he going to play 35 games? I’m not sure.”

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