Raheem Sterling wants to hold talks with Chelsea's hierarchy over his future this week after being left out of the squad for their opening-day defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.
Shortly after Enzo Maresca named his first XI as Blues boss, a statement emerged from Sterling's camp requesting "clarity" on his future at Stamford Bridge.
The winger, 29, is understood to have been told by Maresca after training on Friday that the club was targeting other players in his position and that he could leave west London before the end of the month, although the head coach did not confirm then that he would not be involved against City.
However, Sterling's camp has not held talks with Chelsea's hierarchy for months and remains in the dark about the winger's immediate prospects, amid weeks of speculation about his future followed by yesterday's exclusion from the squad.
Chelsea are thought to have offered Sterling to other clubs, including Italian giants Juventus, but the player has not held direct talks with Blues chiefs over his position, which he now wants this week, with just a fortnight of the window remaining.
Chelsea have already signed winger Pedro Neto in a £45million deal from Wolves this summer and remain in talks to re-sign Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid.
Sterling has three years remaining on the five-year contract he signed in summer 2022, and he and his family are settled in west London. He has said he is targeting a return to the England squad and will not want to sit on the sidelines if he is not in Maresca's plans.
Speaking after the 2-0 defeat to City at Stamford Bridge, Maresca described Sterling's omission as a "technical decision" but acknowledged that he may have to leave.
“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," the Italian said.
Pushed on his decision to leave Sterling out entirely, Maresca added: "The manager has to make some decisions.
"Sometimes players don’t like it, that’s normal. Just a technical decision, no more than that. With Raheem, we will clarify in the next days."
