Liam Rosenior hints at rethink for Chelsea’s sidelined players

January 14, 2026 Oliver Obel

Chelsea’s new manager Liam Rosenior has suggested that some of the club’s sidelined players could yet be reassessed, as he begins work on a squad shaped by months of uncertainty and transition.

Rather than making immediate calls on departures or reintegration, Rosenior has indicated that his early focus is on understanding the players already at the club a notable change in tone following a summer in which several senior figures were effectively frozen out.

Two of the most prominent cases are Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi. As first reported by SPORTbible, both players have been training away from Chelsea’s first-team group after failing to secure permanent transfers during the summer window. Under former manager Enzo Maresca, they were excluded from senior squad plans and placed among a group of players informally referred to inside the club as the “bomb squad”.

Sterling spent last season on loan at Arsenal, where he struggled to establish himself as a regular starter. Disasi, meanwhile, joined Aston Villa for the second half of the 2024–25 campaign, but Villa opted against making the move permanent, leaving his future unresolved upon his return to Stamford Bridge.

Speaking this week, Rosenior confirmed that discussions with both players are planned, though he stressed that his first days in the role have been dominated by wider organisational demands.

“I haven’t [spoken with them yet],” Rosenior said. “To be honest I’ve had so much on. This is my fourth day in the job. I will have conversations with them.”

He also made clear that his assessment is informed by the players’ broader careers rather than their recent exclusion.

“Raheem’s had an outstanding career. I’ve got huge respect for him and Axel, who was someone I’ve really, really liked for a long time,” Rosenior added.

The reality of life on the fringes at Chelsea has previously been highlighted by Disasi himself. In August, the defender shared a series of pre-season images on his official Instagram account, captioned simply “Life”. One of the photos showed a modest, stripped-back dressing room used by the sidelined group a stark contrast to the club’s main first-team facilities.

Beyond individual cases, Rosenior has indicated that Chelsea’s January strategy will be shaped by what he finds internally before pushing for new signings. He said fringe players could yet force their way into his thinking if given opportunities.

“I want to assess the most important players, which are the guys that are here,” he said. “Normally you get good surprises if you give people a chance.”

For Sterling and Disasi, those comments stop short of guarantees but they do suggest a softening of the stance that previously left their Chelsea futures looking closed off.

Sources: SPORTbible, Instagram (Axel Disasi)