EXCLUSIVE: As Raheem Sterling continues to find himself in a difficult position at Chelsea, he may look towards former Arsenal and Tottenham star David Bentley, who retired aged 29
Metaphorically and physically, Raheem Sterling has been left out in the cold by Chelsea. The former England international recently uploaded a picture of the Blues’ Cobham training ground after dark, several hours after his team-mates in the first team completed training.
Enzo Maresca has never showed any intention of deploying the ex-Manchester City winger, who was also taken off the club’s website. After spending last season on loan at Arsenal, Sterling insisted he wanted to remain in London, where his young son is playing in the Gunners’ youth academy system.
Sterling had no interest in moves to Saudi Arabia, who may have offered him more than the purported £325,000 per-week he earns at Chelsea, while moves to Turkey and the USA also did not intrigue him. At the age of 30, this is a pivotal point for the four-time Premier League winner, who finds himself in a similar position to ex-Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur star David Bentley.
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At just 29 years of age, Bentley chose to walk away from football, having been released by Tottenham in 2014. His last season saw him spend six months on loan with Russian side Rostov before returning to Blackburn Rovers for the remainder of the campaign the following February.
He had every opportunity to prolong his football career and the handsome riches which came with it, even though he was not earning quite the same kind of fortune as Sterling. However, the winger, who came through the ranks at the Gunners during the Invincibles era, had lost his love for the game and was not willing to sit on the bench.
Fast forward to the present day, the former winger, who was once labelled as ‘the Next David Beckham,’ has swapped football boots for boxing gloves. He will be fighting ex-Chelsea midfielder and assistant manager Jody Morris on October 18 at the iconic Grosvenor Hotel in Mayfair, London on a charity boxing card ran by Pro Project Promotions, which is led by ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack.
After a few rounds on the pads with ex-world championship challenger Kevin Mitchell, Bentley looked back on his early retirement decision with no regrets. While he did not directly refer to Sterling, his words may soon resonate with the ex-Liverpool star, who is certainly not used to being on the sidelines at this time of the year.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror Football, Bentley – now 41 – said: “I was getting loads of offers. I just didn’t want to go in and be a passenger, just being there, picking up the money and going through the motions.
“I never wanted to be that player. I’m either all in or I’m not in at all. I didn’t want to be that guy that just went through the motions, I just didn’t want to be that guy.
“I went out to Russia. It was pre-my contract ending at Tottenham. It just felt like the natural way things were in my life. It was the right time. I’ve got no regrets about that. Look at me. I look younger than when I played.”
Sterling has been holding out for a move to a new London club, but no offers are yet to come forward. West Ham United and Crystal Palace did not submit an offer for his services, while Brentford also opted not to approach the Blues.
Fulham were briefly linked with him but a move did not materialise. With Sterling being made to train away from the first team, the Professional Football Association recently made contact with Chelsea to ensure he is able to train and stay at the top level.
Regulations from football’s global governing body FIFA do state a player being forced to train on his own can constitute “abusive conduct,” that could enable a player to terminate their own contract with “just cause.” It’s not got to that stage with Sterling, who will surely be looking for new opportunities when the January transfer window comes round.
To watch David Bentley fight Jody Morris and other fights involving previous Premier League heroes, secure your tickets at www.proprojectpromotions.com and join us for a night of drama, glamour, and giving back.
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