Raheem Sterling exercises for the first time with his new Chelsea colleagues,
Raheem Sterling is expected to wear a different shade of blue this season after his Chelsea move was officially announced on Wednesday.
The English winger had the opportunity to meet his new teammates for the first time while participating in training when the Blues were in Los Angeles.
The English winger has finished a £50 million transfer from Manchester City to Stamford Bridge, becoming the Blues’ first summer addition and the first player in any capacity since Todd Boehly, an American billionaire, took control of the team.
He signed a long-term contract in west London and has already traveled to Los Angeles to join his new team on their preseason tour as a Chelsea player. While in the US, Thomas Tuchel’s team will play Club America, Charlotte FC, and Arsenal.
Raheem Sterling exercises for the first time with his new Chelsea colleagues, Here are some observations prime9sport made throughout the practice.
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Immediately Begin Preseason Preparations
Immediately Begin Preseason Preparations
While it is expected that Sterling would be thrust into the action as soon as he joined Chelsea, the 27-year-old feels as like he has been thrown into the deep end. Sterling is an English winger who is eager to be healthy and prepared for the next season.
He had not yet reported to Manchester City because of his obligations with England over the summer, so he hasn’t had a chance to train. Given that the Sky Blues’ international incumbent had just recently returned, any transfer negotiations would have complicated any reunion with his previous team.
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Sterling will undoubtedly have kept up his own exercise routine during the summer, but it’s intriguing to see that he jumped in right away, maybe indicating that he’s all set to go.
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Smiling with English Coworkers
Along with a few other known faces from England camps, Sterling is also participating in training. With his transfer to Chelsea, the winger will be reunited with former international teammates Mason Mount, Reece James, and Ben Chilwell.
He was seen throughout the practice cracking jokes with James as the two participated fully in a jogging exercise. Despite the fact that Sterling may not require a full time of adjustment after moving within the Premier League, these existing connections within the Chelsea team will undoubtedly help him feel at home right away.
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Personal conversation with Hudson-Odoi
Personal conversation with Hudson-Odoi
Winger Callum Hudson-Odoi was another player that Sterling was seen spending some alone time with. The new signing prepared his footwear before the training session as the two sat apart from the group.
Given that they were both raised in London and that they play comparable positions on the field, there are some intriguing similarities between the two. Additionally, although Sterling decided to transfer this summer, Hudson-Odoi must make a difficult choice.
Injury severely limited the 21-year-efforts old’s in the previous season, which saw him make just 22 starts across all competitions. It’s unclear if Sterling gave his relatively less experienced coworker any advise on his future, but should he choose to stay, the Chelsea academy graduate will have a great role model to follow in the future.
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Will Cobham ever have a chance?
Regarding Cobham, supporters will undoubtedly be expecting that graduates of the team’s academy will still be given opportunities at Stamford Bridge despite the signings of Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly.
For Chelsea’s preseason tour, players including Conor Gallagher, Levi Colwill, Harvey Vale, and Armando Broja, to name a few, have all traveled to the United States. Prior to this weekend’s friendly matchup against Club America, the four were once more seen in the heart of the action at the most recent practice.
Although there are doubts about each of their long-term prospects and futures at Stamford Bridge, they are still in Tuchel’s plans for the time being.
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Tuchel is right in the middle of things
While Chelsea continues to make preparations for the upcoming season, there are undoubtedly important issues at hand, there was still time for a few jokes and good-natured fun at the most recent practice. With players like Kai Havertz, Harvey Vale, Trevoh Chalobah, Hudson-Odoi, Ampadu, Malang Sarr, Broja, and Colwill forming one team, the Blues participated in an inter-squad mini-tournament.
Thomas Tuchel, another face, was also involved. After winning, the Blues manager was spotted celebrating with his players after the game’s conclusion.
The German will undoubtedly want to go on with that theme during preseason and, of course, when the regular season gets underway next month. He wants to build on an already successful season and a half at Stamford Bridge.