Todd Boehly stormed into dressing room to criticize £50m Chelsea star
Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly entered the dressing room after a defeat last season, giving the team a pep-talk but also singling Raheem Sterling out for criticism.
The Telegraph reports that the dressing room dressing down came after the home defeat to Brighton in April 2023.
Under Frank Lampard’s management the Blues had lost 2-1 to the Seagulls at Stamford Bridge, despite taking an early lead through Conor Gallagher.
Boehly was not happy as the season was spluttering along to a very limp end under Lampard, which he labelled ’embarrassing’ in his dressing room rant.
The American then rounded on Sterling and let him know that he expected much more from him in terms of performance and leadership, due to his world-class qualities.
The 29-year-old moved to Stamford Bridge from Manchester City in the summer of 2022 for £50m and hasn’t often looked world-class.
The England forward scored six Premier League goals in his first season with the Blues and has netted five times so far this campaign.
Given Sterling has won 82 caps for his country and arrived in west London after winning four Premier League titles with Manchester City, it is not the return the Chelsea hierarchy were hoping for.
Boehly certainly had high hopes for the former Liverpool man as he made him the club’s highest earner, with Sterling on over £300,000-a-week.
Sterling has been outshone at Chelsea this season by another signing from Manchester City, with Cole Palmer arriving with much less experience and not as glowing a reputation, but netting 10 top flight goals already this campaign.