Anyone around west London in need of ringers for their five-a-side team this week? Asking for friends named Raheem, Ben, Romelu, Kepa and Trevoh.
Sterling, Chilwell, Lukaku, Arrizabalaga and Chalobah are among the Chelsea players who have been told they cannot train with the first team at Cobham because they are not in new boss Enzo Maresca’s plans. The first four were signed for a combined £270million. The fifth grew up in the academy.
All are set to train separately until they negotiate an exit which ends their exile, like Armando Broja, who is close to securing a season-long loan to Ipswich.