Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi have been named in Chelsea’s Premier League squad despite being part of Enzo Maresca’s ‘bomb-squad’.
On Friday, all 20 clubs had to submit their final 25-man Premier League squads for the 2025/26 season.
Once again, it’s been a great summer of change at Stamford Bridge, with 10 players signed for over £284million and 21 departing either permanently or on loan.
Many assumed Chelsea’s squad would look similar to their Champions League one, with the new signings in and exiled players left out.
But that is not the case, with the Blues only naming 19 players in their official squad and it notably included Sterling, Disasi and David Datro Fofana who have all been banished from the first-team and forbidden from using their facilities.
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The trio, who cost Chelsea a combined £98m, were up for sale all summer but failed to secure a transfer away from west London, with Disasi turning down a late switch to West Ham.
Their inclusion in the squad is a stark contrast to the treatment of Ben Chilwell last season, who was left out of both Chelsea’s Premier League and Champions League squads, meaning he could only play in the Carabao Cup.
This news may give the players hope that they will get some game time in the first-half of the season, but BBC Sport report that this development does not change their status as ‘bomb-squad’ stars.
Fans maybe surprised to see several big names not in Chelsea’s Premier League squad, including summer signings Alejandro Garnacho, Jorrel Hato, Jamie Gittens and Facundo Buonanotte, especially given there are six free spaces in it.
But that is simply because these players can be registered in the U21 squad list where there are unlimited spaces and they will still be eligible to play in the top-flight.
Chelsea’s Premier League squad 2025/26
Goalkeepers: Filip Jorgensen, Robert Sanchez*
Defenders: Tosin Adarabioyo*, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah*, Levi Colwill*, Marc Cucurella, Axel Disasi, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto, Reece James*
Midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer*
Forwards: Liam Delap*, David Datro Fofana, Joao Pedro*, Pedro Neto, Raheem Sterling*
*Home grown players
Notable Chelsea U21 players
Joshua Acheampong
Facundo Buonanotte
Dario Essugo
Estevao
Alejandro Garnacho
Tyrique George
Jamie Gittens
Marc Guiu
Jorrel Hato
Romeo Lavia
Andrey Santos
Sterling, Disasi and Datro Fofana, who all spent time out on loan last season, are likely included in the main squad just because Chelsea had the room to do so, given that so many U21 players did not need to be there.
Speaking in his press conference ahead of the trip to Brentford on Saturday night, Maresca did not speak about the exiled trio but implied they had no role to play in his team.
The head coach claimed that Joao Pedro and Marc Guiu were the only No.9s in his squad, completely overlooking striker Datro Fofana, as well as forward Sterling who has played centrally on many occasions.
‘At my press conference with Chelsea one year ago, I said that I was in love with the squad and this was the reason why I decided to join this club, because the squad was already very good,’ the head coach said.
‘Since that, we tried to make some changes and overall I think the squad is good.
‘We have the [Liam Delap] injury. Now in this moment, in the No.9 the only one is Guiu and Joao also can play there.
‘Against Fulham, we use Tyrique [George] as a No.9, so we can also think about him.’
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