Alan Shearer Exclusive: Chelsea have disrespected Raheem Sterling

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I'm not a big fan of what's happened to Raheem Sterling, I think it's very disrespectful. He may not have had a great season last season, which is fine, but there's still a way to treat people and understand players' needs. There's a way to sell players.

It's just bizarre what's going on at Chelsea. You see the Conor Gallagher situation when he left on the plane to go to Atletico on the proviso someone else was coming over, they tried to sign Samu Omorodion, but then that deal was off, and Gallagher had to come back to Chelsea.

Suddenly, they don't want a centre-forward, and they think: "Okay, we'll go back and see if we can do a deal with Joao Felix." Gallagher had to hang around until that deal was done before he could head to Atletico.

Not the way to treat a professional

In the meantime, Chelsea tell Sterling that he's no longer wanted and he has to find himself a football club, which is fine, that's the way it goes in football sometimes - a coach comes in and doesn't fancy you, that happens. But telling someone two days before the season starts they are not going to be involved, and they have just over a week to find a football club, it's very, very disrespectful. It's not the right way to treat a professional.

That's the way it is at Chelsea now though, the players must accept that, and the coach must accept that, because that's what he's taken on. Anyone who goes into that football club knows how it's being run.

It's not very nice at all, but that's the way it is. You've just got to try and accept it because you know going into it, that is what you are facing.

Sterling will appeal to clubs but can they afford him?

The problem facing Sterling now is who can afford him? In terms of his salary, I assume Chelsea will have to give him something to leave because he's got three years left on his contract. Whatever his contract is, he will not want to leave for nothing after the way they've treated him.

The question is, will Chelsea pay him enough to leave? They're going to have this issue in years to come now too, because most of their players are on six, seven, eight, nine-year contracts which is just crazy in my opinion.

Can he get out and sign for another football club on a lesser salary than he is on now? We'll have to wait and see if that can be done in the space of seven days or so.

Sterling could be a good fit at Villa Park

There's no doubt about it, Sterling didn't play as well as he can do last season, but there's talent there and he's got a lot to offer still.

He would be a good buy for someone, whether that club can buy him or do a loan deal is yet to be seen but in terms of a team in the Premier League, he could do a good job for Aston Villa.

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