Bayern and Napoli Held Deadline-Day Interest in Raheem Sterling as Maresca Rules Out Return to Chelsea Squad

Bayern Munich and Napoli made late-window inquiries about Raheem Sterling, but Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has told the forward there is no route back into the first team, according to media reports.

The England international, who has two years remaining on his contract at Stamford Bridge, was the subject of last-minute interest from clubs abroad as the transfer window closed, Telegraph Sport and Daily Mail Sport reported. Chelsea have ruled Sterling out of their plans for the season and he is currently training separately from the first team, Maresca said.

The reports say Bayern held a deadline-day inquiry into Sterling while Serie A champions Napoli also expressed interest. Bayern were already in negotiations with Chelsea over striker Nicolas Jackson, who later completed an 11th-hour loan move to the Allianz Arena after an injury to Bayern signing Liam Delap, and are believed to have considered Sterling as an additional option.

Sterling spent last season on loan at Arsenal but did not secure a permanent transfer after scoring once and providing five assists in 28 appearances for the Gunners, the Daily Mail reported. He returned to Chelsea this summer and, along with team-mates Axel Disasi and David Datro Fofana, was placed in what has been described as the club's "bomb squad" of players training separately from the main group.

Asked ahead of Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Brentford, Maresca said that Sterling and Disasi were training at different times on different pitches and that he had not seen them since the start of the season. "They are Chelsea players, but at the moment they are training separately and the plan is to continue in this way," Maresca said.

Financial terms were reported to be a barrier to a move. The Daily Mail said Sterling earns about £325,000 per week, a wage level believed to have deterred several suitors. The same report added that Sterling was unwilling to move to the Saudi Pro League, whose transfer window remained open until Sept. 23.

Sterling remains registered in Chelsea's Premier League squad despite his exclusion from first-team training. He joined Chelsea in 2022 for a reported £50 million and has made 81 appearances for the club, scoring 19 goals and providing 15 assists.

The club and the player's representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The transfer window closures across Europe's major leagues now leave Chelsea and Sterling to reassess the player's options while he remains under contract for the coming seasons.