Chelsea face huge £22m transfer bill to resolve major squad issue: report

The Blues' swollen squad has caused issues for plenty of Stamford Bridge coaches since Todd Boehly's 2022 takeover, not least the recently-departed Enzo Maresca.

While new Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior appears to have trimmed the so-called 'bomb squad', welcoming some players back into first-team training, the club's highest-paid individual remains sidelined.

Raheem Sterling has not played this season and the 31-year-old could yet leave Stamford Bridge on a free transfer this month - if his contract is mutually terminated.

Chelsea exploring Raheem Sterling contract termination

This would, according to the BBC, see Chelsea expected to pay the remaining £22 million owed, per the terms of Sterling's contract.

Various reports claim the former England man, who is contracted until summer 2027, earns £325,000-per-week.

A Chelsea comeback seems altogether unlikely at this stage, meaning he may also be open to terminating his stay in West London, but not without being compensated.

In such cases, it is common for players to accept lower sums than the full amount owed, however, Sterling is under no obligation to do so.

As a result, if Chelsea wish to get Sterling off the wage bill, they could be required to pay up in full the remaining value of his contract.

"No, at the moment, I've said what I've had to say on Raheem," Rosenior said in a recent press conference. "He's a player I have massive respect for. Huge respect for him as a person and for what he's achieved in the game.

"Now is not the right time to speak about his situation."

Fulham were linked with a move for the former Arsenal loanee last summer but a transfer did not materialise.

Given Sterling's limited involvement over the past 18 months, it is highly unlikely a club would be willing to sign him on similar terms to his current Chelsea deal.

In FourFourTwo's opinion, Sterling and Chelsea should probably part ways for the good of all involved. His time at Stamford Bridge has been over for some time but it is understandable why the 31-year-old does not want to sell himself short and walk away from a lucrative contract for less than it is worth.