Enzo Maresca has confirmed both Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell are not training with the Chelsea first-team amid reports linking them with a move away.
Sterling and Chilwell, who have 187 Blues appearances between them, were not in the Chelsea squad for their opening day defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.
The pair are among a group of 15 players that are training away from the first team as the club seeks to resolve their futures before the transfer window shuts.
Maresca's side face Swiss side Servette on Thursday in a Europa Conference League play-off tie, and revealed the situation to reporters on Wednesday.
"In this moment, they are training apart," Maresca told reporters ahead of Thursday's Europa Conference League play-off tie against Swiss side Servette.
"We have a big squad, for me it's impossible to give everyone minutes. So if they're looking for minutes, probably it is better to leave."
Prior to their 2-0 defeat to the Premier League champions, Maresca had informed Sterling he would not be part of his squad to face his former employers.
Ahead of kick-off at Stamford Bridge, the 29-year-old's representatives released a statement asking for clarity on his future at the club.
Despite Sterling's 45 completed dribbles only bettered by Cole Palmer (52) and Nicolas Jackson (54) in the Premier League, Maresca said he was not the kind of winger that he wanted for the upcoming season.
"I'm not saying he's not a good player, but I prefer different kinds of wingers," the Italian said.
"I spoke with Raheem before Manchester City, I said that he is going to struggle to get minutes with us.
"With (Chilwell), I said he is a lovely guy but with his position, he's going to struggle with us. It's not brutal, it's honest."
"It's not a comfortable situation. I think it is good to know that if you want to stay, you will struggle to get minutes.
"But in a few days or weeks it can be a better situation because you move and you join a club where you will get more minutes."
Forest complete loan move for Villa defender Moreno
Nottingham Forest have signed Aston Villa full-back Alex Moreno on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent deal.
Moreno joined Villa from Real Betis in January 2023 and has made a total of 40 Premier League appearances for Unai Emery's men, including 21 last season.
He started 11 times last term but spent most of his time as a backup to Lucas Digne, who made 27 starts as Emery's team finished fourth to secure Champions League qualification.
He becomes Forest's eighth signing of the current transfer window, after Elliot Anderson, Nikola Milenkovic, Ramon Sosa, Jota Silva, Marko Stamenic, Carlos Miguel and Eric da Silva Moreiro.
Forest's chief football officer Ross Wilson said: "Alex is a player we have had a long-standing interest in so we are naturally all very happy to see him arrive at Nottingham Forest.
"He has amassed significant experience in LaLiga and the Premier League, and he brings all of that quality and experience to our group now."
Martinez eyes trophy with Aston Villa after contract renewal
Emiliano Martinez wants to win a trophy with Aston Villa after penning a new long-term contract with the club.
The Argentina goalkeeper has signed a new deal to remain at Villa Park until 2029, having impressed since joining the club from Arsenal in September 2020.
The World Cup winner is delighted with the constant progression of the club, culminating in Champions League qualification last season, but he still hopes to achieve more success in the coming years.
He told the club's website: "Since I joined the club, my dream was to be in the Champions League. We have achieved that. Like I said, the club is improving every year."
Martinez, who has won two Copa America titles with his national side along with the World Cup, now wants to translate his international success to the club stage, as Villa have been without a major honour since 1996.
He added: “I achieved everything in international football with Argentina and now I still think we can win a trophy here.
“That is something missing in this club. And I will have a go here in the next four years to achieve that.”
Speid welcomes Cavalier's 2-0 win over Mount Pleasant as a solid platform for Caribbean Cup campaign
Cavalier Head Coach Rudolph Speid says the 2-0 win over Mount Pleasant FA to kick off their 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup campaign provides a solid platform to build on in their charge to achieve long-term goals this season.
Christopher Ainsworth (ninth) and Shaquille Stein (25th) got the job done for Cavalier in a keenly contest encounter at Sabina Park on Tuesday.
“The win is very important, because when teams are in your zone and they’re from the same country or same city, it’s really a derby. It doesn’t matter how strong each team is, it’s a derby, and derby games are the most difficult games you’ll come up against, so getting the first win is always important,” Speid said in a post-game interview.
Cavalier, the reigning Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champions and runners-up in the 2023 edition of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, were more purposeful at the start, and they were duly rewarded when Ainsworth converted from the 12-yard spot after Stein was felled inside the red zone by Jamoi Topey.
Mount Pleasant created a few half chances in their press for the equaliser, but they found Cavalier’s defenders and goalkeeper Jeadine White in defiant mode.
Stein later doubled Cavalier’s lead when he expertly headed home from Jalmaro Calvin’s weighted cross.
Try as they did, Mount Pleasant’s attackers couldn’t find a way past White, who ended the contest with six crucial saves, including a last-minute reflex stop diving low at his near post to deny Rayonne Mbougain in time added.
Cavalier also had their fair share of chances to add to their tally, the best of which fell to Kaile Auvray in the 49th minute, but Mount Pleasant’s custodian Tafari Chambers came up big to stop the close-range effort.
Speid lauded his team for a solid defensive effort, which ensured they sit atop Group A on three points heading into the second round of games on August 29.
Then, Cavalier will host Trinidad and Tobago outfit Police FC in Kingston, while Mount Pleasant FA will look to rebound against CFU Club Shield winners, Arnett Gardens FC, on August 27 at Sabina Park.
“We did not know what Mount Pleasant was going to do. We decided we were going to be tough on defence. The defence, including the goalkeeper, stood out. It is not easy to keep a clean sheet against those players from Mount Pleasant, as they can turn a game on its head,” Speid reasoned.
“So our concentration was spot on from minute one. Although we defended stoutly, we were positive all the time. We attacked when the occasion aroused, and we didn’t hesitate. We could have even scored two more,” he noted.
His counterpart Harold Thomas, who took over from Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore in June, believes his side lacked the hunger and conviction of their opponents.
“One of the things we have to do is look at the players who are hungry for it. You hear Cavalier’s approach to the game, they have a group of youngsters that don’t have the kind of reputation that our players have, but they’re hungry. They want to make a name for themselves,” Thomas stated.
“We need to find players who want to make a name for themselves or even those who have a name to improve their credibility. We know the quality of the players. There are some things we have to change, but the quality is there. The motivation will be a great factor because what we saw today (Tuesday) wasn’t a team as hungry as they should have been,” he added.
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