Rosenior Unleashes Bold Strategy to Transform Chelsea's Exiled Stars

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has announced he plans to hold discussions with the previously sidelined pair of Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi regarding their futures at Stamford Bridge.

Considered unwanted by former boss Enzo Maresca, the veteran duo have been absent from Chelsea's squad entirely this campaign and have been practicing separately at different times from their teammates, enabling the Italian to work with a more compact group.

Maresca departed Chelsea abruptly as 2026 began, providing Rosenior, who was managing fellow Blue-Co owned RC Strasbourg in France's top flight, his first opportunity to coach in England's Premier League.

Rosenior secured victory in his debut match as manager, defeating Charlton Athletic 5–1 in the FA Cup third round, but on-pitch success isn't his only responsibility. He must also manage player rotation with a two-legged Carabao Cup semifinal against Arsenal approaching and two remaining Champions League league phase fixtures.

"I plan to speak with both players. We're now in January, as you're aware," Rosenior informed reporters about potentially bringing Sterling and Disasi back into the fold. "Raheem has enjoyed a remarkable career. I hold tremendous respect for him. Axel is a player I've admired greatly for quite some time.

"To be completely honest, I need to sit down with them. I need to discuss matters with the club as well. I'm being entirely truthful. I literally need to work through my list of priorities. I'll address this in the coming days."

January Exits Could Prove Difficult

January Departures May Present Challenges

With the January transfer window remaining open until month's end, Chelsea could attempt to remove Sterling and Disasi from their payroll—however, they've already encountered difficulties when trying to move the duo.

Sterling, believed to collect £325,000 weekly in salary, had an underwhelming loan spell at Arsenal last term, netting just once across 28 appearances in all competitions, resulting in the current league leaders choosing not to exercise their purchase clause. Regarding Disasi, who cost Chelsea £38.5 million upon his arrival from AS Monaco before the 2023–24 campaign, he was loaned to Aston Villa during 2024–25 but no permanent transfer materialized.

Having not participated in competitive football for over seven months, combined with substantial wages and declining transfer value, limited options appear available for both players. Napoli have been loosely connected to Sterling, alongside Premier League clubs Fulham and West Ham United, while Disasi has been mentioned as a potential target for Roma and Lyon. No formal bids have materialized.

With the Premier League's existing Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) set to be replaced by Squad Cost Ratio (SCR), Chelsea's future expenditure cannot surpass 70% of their revenue—requiring them to secure new destinations for surplus players before continuing their investment strategy.

FIFA regulations also specify that only six players may be loaned internationally simultaneously—a limit Chelsea have already reached with Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich), Aaron Anselmino (Borussia Dortmund), David Datro Fofana (Karagürük) and the trio of Mamadou Sarr, Kendry Páez and Mike Penders (Strasbourg) departing west London.

Chelsea's Outgoings Transfers in 2025–26

Chelsea's Departing Players in 2025–26

So far, 23 players have departed Chelsea either temporarily or permanently during the 2025–26 period.