Raheem Sterling Offered Chelsea Lifeline by Liam Rosenior

Could Raheem Sterling play for Chelsea under Liam Rosenior, or is he still expected to move on this window?

Since being appointed head coach last week, Rosenior has confirmed he plans to speak directly with Sterling before making any calls on his future.

For now, nothing has been ruled in or out, including the possibility of Sterling playing for Chelsea again.

So, will Sterling play under Rosenior, or is his time at Stamford Bridge effectively over?

Is Raheem Sterling still at Chelsea?

Yes – but only just.

Sterling remains a Chelsea player, under contract and on the club’s books, but he has not featured for the first team since May 2024.

Since the end of last summer’s transfer window, he has been training separately from the senior squad alongside centre back Axel Disasi after both failed to secure moves away.

At 31, Sterling is Chelsea’s highest earner in base salary terms, on more than £300,000 per week, a legacy of a contract agreed before the club shifted to an incentive-heavy wage structure.

That deal, and the direction Chelsea have taken since, has left him increasingly disconnected from the matchday picture.

Will Sterling play under Rosenior?

Based on Rosenior’s comments, the new Chelsea head coach has not closed the door.

Speaking in his first week in the job, Rosenior said he has yet to hold formal talks with Sterling but stressed they are imminent.

“I haven’t spoken with them yet,” Rosenior said. “This is my fourth day in the job. I will have conversations with them.

“Raheem’s had an outstanding career. I’ve got huge respect for him.”

That respect, however, does not automatically mean he will be reintegrated.

Sterling is not expecting to be brought back into the first-team group and is actively looking for regular football elsewhere.

Rosenior has also been clear that any decision will come after internal discussions with the club’s hierarchy.

So will Sterling play under Rosenior? Well, it’s possible, but unlikely.

Is Sterling training alone at Chelsea?

Effectively, yes.

Sterling has been training away from Chelsea’s main first-team group since the end of the summer window.

While not entirely frozen out – he has access to facilities and club support – his separation shows just how far down the pecking order he has fallen.

Disasi, in a similar position, has been playing and training with Chelsea’s under-21s this season.

Raheem Sterling next club: who could sign him?

Sterling’s priority is game time. During the summer he preferred to stay in England, but now he’s not ruling out a move abroad this month.

There are complications, though. Chelsea have already filled their FIFA quota of six international loans, meaning Sterling cannot currently join a foreign club on loan.

A permanent move would require a buyer willing to take on a significant portion of his wages, while a domestic loan remains the most realistic short-term option.

Last season, Sterling spent the campaign on loan at Arsenal, making 28 appearances – an irony not lost given Chelsea face Arsenal this week in the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Rosenior’s wider Chelsea reset

Rosenior has made clear he wants to evaluate every player already at the club before pushing for recruitment in the transfer market.

“Normally you get good surprises if you give people a chance,” Rosenior said, pointing to Chelsea’s FA Cup win over Charlton as evidence that squad players can still influence his thinking.

That philosophy may yet work in Sterling’s favour, but time is not on his side.

This January transfer window will be busier than usual, and Chelsea are already juggling injury management for key players such as Cole Palmer, Reece James and Malo Gusto.

Ultimately, the conversations between Rosenior and Sterling will determine whether the England international remains a peripheral Chelsea player, secures a move elsewhere, or – against expectations – even earns a route back into first-team contention.