Chelsea’s new manager, Liam Rosenior, has made a clear commitment to engage directly with two players who are currently in a state of uncertainty at the club—Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi. Known as the 'bomb squad,' these players are currently sidelined and experiencing a somewhat disconnected status within the team, which raises questions about their future with Chelsea.
At just 41 years old, Rosenior stepped into the role following Enzo Maresca’s departure last week. His arrival comes amidst an already busy mid-season transfer window, especially considering his recent move from Strasbourg—an club sharing ownership with Chelsea. With a lengthy list of urgent tasks, one of his top priorities is to have honest, direct conversations with Sterling and Disasi, who both joined Chelsea during the 2023-24 season for substantial transfer fees of £47.5 million and £38.5 million, respectively. Currently, however, these players are training separately from the main squad, on different pitches and in different facilities, and they remain on Chelsea's transfer list. Despite being linked with loan moves over the summer, both players rejected these opportunities.
When asked about Sterling and Disasi, Rosenior emphasized the importance of open dialogue: "I will have conversations with them. We're in January, as you know. Raheem has had an outstanding career, and I hold him in high regard. Axel is someone I’ve admired as a player for quite some time. Honestly, I need to talk to both of them and also coordinate with the club. I’m genuinely committed to working through this. I plan to do so over the next few days."
Sterling is reportedly attracting interest from Napoli, while Roma and Lyon have also shown interest in Disasi. However, Chelsea is currently limited by FIFA regulations, which restrict the number of overseas loan players—permitting a maximum of six on loan outside the country. To facilitate moves for Sterling and Disasi on a temporary basis, Chelsea would need to recall or release one of these players.
Despite Chelsea’s usual activity in transfer markets, the club’s January start following the managerial upheaval has been notably cautious. Insiders insist that the overall transfer strategy remains unchanged, but Rosenior’s influence will now be more prominent after Maresca’s unexpected exit, which was partly due to disagreements with club hierarchy.
Regarding potential new signings, Rosenior explained, "My initial conversations with the club’s leadership focused on evaluating our most crucial existing players—those already here. Often, giving players a chance can lead to pleasant surprises, as I saw in the recent game against Charlton. Yes, it’s January, and our short-term goal is to succeed. But I also believe that the best answers can sometimes be found within the team itself, not always outside. I plan to make decisions later this week after assessing everyone involved."
Looking ahead, Chelsea is expected to pursue more significant signings in the upcoming summer transfer window, targeting priority areas such as attack and defense. For instance, they briefly considered signing Antoine Semenyo before he moved to Manchester City and also looked at Dean Huijsen before his transfer to Real Madrid. Defender Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes is on their radar, and they have also monitored Juventus’s Kenan Yildiz. Other potential options include St Etienne’s Djylian N'Guessan, although he is now targeted by Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg.
Chelsea also maintains an interest in Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, especially since his contract contains less than 18 months remaining. He could be considered as a midfield option if Romeo Lavia continues to face injury setbacks. Meanwhile, backup goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen is weighing his options and may be replaced if he chooses to leave.
Additionally, academy graduate Tyrique George, who moved to Fulham for £22 million but failed to make recent matchday squads, is available for sale once again, or could be loaned out if the opportunity arises.
The club continues to operate under UEFA restrictions that require a positive transfer balance, meaning any new arrivals must be offset by outgoing players. However, these constraints are set to ease next season as new Premier League rules on squad cost control (less strict than the existing Profit and Sustainability regulations) come into effect.
For next season, Chelsea has already lined up several promising targets, including Sporting’s winger Geovany Quenda for around £40 million, Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha, Kairat’s Dastan Satapayev, and Corinthians’ left-back Denner Evangelista. They also recently secured the signing of defender Deinner Ordonez from Independiente del Valle, set to join in January 2028.
Currently loaned players, like Borussia Dortmund’s Aaron Anselmino or Strasbourg’s Mike Penders, Mamadou Sarr, and Kendry Paez—who have all worked with Rosenior—are still part of the club’s strategic plans, with some being highly valued prospects for the future. Nevertheless, the immediate focus remains on navigating the current restrictions and planning for a more active transfer approach in the coming months.
But here’s where it gets controversial… some critics argue that Chelsea’s cautious approach and reliance on internal solutions could hinder their competitiveness in the short term, especially with wealthy rivals aggressively strengthening their squads. Do you believe Chelsea’s strategy is the right one, or would you push for more aggressive signings now? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
