Pep Guardiola responds to shock Raheem Sterling transfer suggestion amid Chelsea exile

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has ruled out re-signing Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling.

The 29-year-old has been banished from the Chelsea first-team squad under the new management of Enzo Maresca, missing out on a place in the matchday side to face Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League last Sunday.

Manchester City beat Chelsea 0-2 on the opening weekend of the new campaign, as goals from Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic secured a victorious start to the Blues’ latest Premier League title defence.

Sterling, who scored against Manchester City for Chelsea last season, won four Premier League titles while at the Etihad Stadium, as well five League Cups, the FA Cup and the FA Community Shield.

The Englishman scored 131 goals in 339 appearances, and was sold to Chelsea in a £50 million deal in July 2022.

Sterling was also absent from the Chelsea squad for their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off first-leg clash against Servette in west London on Thursday evening, and has been linked with both Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.

Manchester City re-signed Ilkay Gundogan from FC Barcelona on Friday in a shock free transfer, with the return of the former German international leading to questions about a possible move for Sterling.

Addressing a possible move to re-sign the 29-year-old, Guardiola said: “He’s a Chelsea player, absolutely. I feel so attached to the time we lived together with Raheem, and Enzo. So I just wish him all the best, but he’s of course, a Chelsea player.”

Gundogan has signed an initial one-year deal at the Etihad Stadium, retuning to the Premier League champions after just one season in Catalonia, where the midfielder featured 51 times for Barcelona.

The 33-year-old is Manchester City’s second first-team addition of the summer, following the arrival of Savinho from ES Troyes.