Exiled Raheem Sterling stripped of Chelsea squad number as he seeks transfer - but No.7 shirt hasn't been handed to new signing Joao Felix

Sterling has been playing with the No.7 jersey at Stamford Bridge and was expected to hold onto it in the new season. However, the winger has now seen the shirt taken away from him and assigned to summer arrival Pedro Neto, who was initially given No.19 after joining from Wolves, while fellow arrival Joao Felix has taken on the No.14 from Trevoh Chalobah, who is also being forced out.

The development is the latest twist in the Sterling saga that has erupted over the last few days. The England international was left out of the matchday squad as Chelsea kicked off the new Premier League season against Manchester City on Sunday, prompting his representatives to release a statement calling for clarity on his future. According to The Times, the 29-year-old has been training at home since Friday instead of the Cobham facilities after he was told that he will struggle for playing time this season.

New Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has since confirmed that Sterling and left-back Ben Chilwell have been sent to train apart from the rest of the squad, with the coach admitting that they are better off finding new clubs before the transfer window closes on August 30.

Sterling is considering his options as he looks for a path out of the English capital. He has reportedly been offered to fellow Premier League side Aston Villa, which would give him the chance of playing in the Champions League next season, while Serie A side Juventus are also said to be interested in him.