The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has intervened in Chelsea’s handling of Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi, with both players currently training away from the first team after being frozen out by head coach Enzo Maresca, as per the BBC.
Sterling and Disasi were both expected to leave Stamford Bridge during the summer transfer window, having been made available for transfer early on. Yet while other members of Chelsea’s so-called “bomb squad”, including established names such like Ben Chilwell, Armando Broja and Joao Felix, found exits, Sterling and Disasi remain at the club. Now, with no realistic prospect of playing time before January, the BBC are reporting the PFA has stepped in to ensure the pair are treated in line with FIFA regulations.
The PFA are in talks with Chelsea over the handling of squad outcasts Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi. pic.twitter.com/Wc69iRToE6
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) September 18, 2025
Union pressure on Chelsea
FIFA rules state that players cannot be indefinitely isolated from first-team training in circumstances that might constitute “abusive conduct”. If such conditions are proven, players could even terminate their contracts citing “just cause”. The PFA’s priority is to guarantee Sterling and Disasi have access to high-quality training, regardless of Maresca’s refusal to involve them in senior preparations.
Chelsea have not commented publicly on the situation, but according to the BBC the players’ union is actively engaged in discussions with the club. The outcome could have implications not only for Sterling and Disasi but also for how Premier League clubs handle unwanted players in future.
Maresca: “No way back”
Maresca has been unequivocal in his stance. Speaking earlier this month, the Italian said:
“First of all, they are Chelsea players and have contracts with the club, but at this moment they are still training apart. Since the start of the season, I haven’t seen them…". When asked if there was any way back, Maresca replied: ‘No.’”
Neither Sterling nor Disasi have been allocated a shirt number, and both men are effectively in limbo until the transfer window reopens in January.
🚨🔵 Enzo Maresca: “There’s NO way back into our squad for Axel Disasi and Raheem Sterling”. pic.twitter.com/TNKENYGozD
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 12, 2025
Sterling’s stalled career
It's been a tricky few years for Sterling. Signed in 2022 as part of Chelsea’s wide-ranging rebuild, the 30-year-old has made 81 appearances and scored 19 goals for the Blues. Last season, however, he was shipped out on loan to Arsenal, where he made 28 appearances but managed just one goal and rarely featured in the starting XI.
Over the summer, the England international, capped 82 times, held talks with Fulham but the move failed to materialise, keeping Sterling at Stamford Bridge. With two years left on a contract worth around £325,000 per week, finding a buyer has proven difficult. Sterling’s reluctance to uproot his family from London has also limited his options. Now, despite his experience and pedigree, he is staring at several months without first-team football.
Disasi’s Monaco frustration
Disasi, meanwhile, admits he came close to securing a move back to Monaco, the club he left in a £38.5m deal to join Chelsea two years ago.
“In the period between the approaches from Bournemouth and West Ham, Monaco arrived and that hit me emotionally,” the 27-year-old told La Media Carre. “I had three incredible years at Monaco. When they came in, all the memories came back. Monaco is home. I hoped that Chelsea would find a solution to allow me to leave on loan. I pushed until the last minute.”
The France international, who has five caps to his name, has made 61 appearances and scored five goals for Chelsea. He also spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, where he featured 10 times, but is now out of favour in west London.
What happens next?
For now, the pair remain exiled on separate training pitches at Cobham. Both have contracts that make cutting ties complicated - Sterling’s until 2027 and Disasi’s until 2029 - but neither is expected to play any role under Maresca. The PFA’s involvement could compel Chelsea to soften their stance, at least in terms of reintegrating them into the training group.
What is clear is that Chelsea’s ruthless squad management is drawing scrutiny. While “bomb squads” have long been a feature of modern football, FIFA’s guidelines mean clubs risk sanctions if players are denied basic professional conditions. How this standoff is resolved may set the tone for future disputes between out-of-favour stars and the Premier League’s biggest clubs.
