Enzo Maresca has insisted he wants Raheem Sterling to stay at Chelsea but admitted the Blues will be forced to sell players to reduce their bloated squad.

New Chelsea boss Maresca insisted Sterling’s omission from the squad to face Manchester City was purely a “technical decision”, despite the England forward’s frustrated reaction.

Sterling’s representatives issued a statement before kick-off in the Premier League season-opener against City pledging to seek clarity on the 29-year-old’s situation at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea went on to lose 2-0, with Erling Haaland and ex-Blues midfielder Mateo Kovacic on target for the reigning top-flight champions.

Enzo Maresca

New Blues boss Maresca then admitted afterwards that he will seek talks with Sterling, but insisted he wants the former City and Liverpool star to stay in west London.

“The only thing I can say again is it’s a technical decision, it’s nothing more than that,” said Maresca.

“I want Raheem Sterling, but I want all the 30 players that we have, but there’s no space for all of them. So, for some of them, they have to leave.”

Axel Disasi, Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka were all absent from the Chelsea match squad too, leaving Maresca with more players to run the rule over.

“Axel is only just coming back from and injury, while Chilly has been ill,” said Maresca.

“Every case is a bit different, Carney, he’s a very good player but with his injuries in the past the best thing for him is to play 30, 35 games in a row and to show himself he’s fit and how good he is.

“With us, is he going to play 35 games? I’m not sure.

“For Raheem, it was just a technical decision and the next day we’ll see, and it’s no more than that.”