Enzo Maresca responds to Chelsea squad concerns in update on Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell

Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell are among a group of more than 15 Chelsea players currently training on their own.

Sterling was left out of Chelsea’s squad for their Premier League opener against Manchester City on Sunday and will play no part in Thursday’s Europa Conference League play-off with Servette, too.

The winger is waiting for offers away from Stamford Bridge before the transfer window closes next week, but until then he is among a group of Chelsea players currently training separately from the main squad.

England left-back Chilwell is also among the group, which head coach Enzo Maresca has confirmed is more than 15 in number, as Chelsea look to get players out the door.

“They (Chilwell and Sterling) are, in this moment, training apart,” said Maresca.

“As I said already the other day, the situation with both of them is quite clear. There is not any update on the situation.

“I said the other day, we have a big squad and, for me, it is impossible to give all of them minutes.

“So some of them, if they are looking for minutes, always it is better to leave. And, in case they don’t leave, they have a contract here and they are a Chelsea player.

“I think it is the job of all of the managers to try to keep all the players happy, but this is something that is almost impossible - because they train every day to get minutes and in the end, only 11 are going to play.

“Some of them are going to play some minutes from the bench, but it is almost impossible to keep all of them happy.

“The only [thing] I can say is that I try always to be honest with all of them. In this moment, probably the noise is more outside, because I am working with 21, 22 players since we are back from the USA. I am not working with 42, 43 players.

“I already said [this] many times, but I can see you like to say that we have 42, 43 players - but more than 15 players, they are training apart. They are not with the team.”