Chelsea transfer news: January exit 'on hold' for Enzo Maresca outcast after Thiago Silva decision

A Chelsea outcast's exit from the club in the January transfer window is allegedly on hold, even though the Blues have opened the door for him to make a specific move.

When Enzo Maresca took over from Mauricio Pochettino in 2024, the former Leicester City boss inherited an incredibly bloated squad, which comprised of several players who had no futures at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have managed to offload most of those unwanted names, but two continue to collect their wages while being frozen out of the team - Axel Disasi and Raheem Sterling.

The French defender and English attacker failed to secure exits from West London in the summer transfer window, and they are being made to train with the Under-21s while Maresca focuses on his core group.

Neither Disasi nor Sterling have made a single senior matchday squad this season, and the former has been restricted to just two appearances for the youth team, donning the captain's armband in both.

Axel Disasi's Chelsea exit 'on hold' amid AC Milan interest

Both players will seek exits from Stamford Bridge next month, and in Disasi's case, the 27-year-old is rumoured to be attracting the attention of AC Milan, according to Football Italia.

Chelsea would supposedly be willing to offload Disasi to the Rossoneri when the winter window rolls around, and the two clubs have a good relationship, in spite of some 'misunderstandings' over Mike Maignan in the past.

However, Milan are reportedly in no rush to commit to signing Disasi in January, as the Rossoneri are also evaluating other centre-backs after missing out on manager Massimiliano Allegri's number one target.

The former Juventus boss reportedly wanted to bring ex-Milan and Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva back to San Siro, but the 41-year-old has now agreed a short-term deal with Portuguese giants Porto.

Disasi is not the only alternative that Milan are considering; the seven-time European champions are also said to be monitoring Borussia Dortmund's Niklas Sule, as they try to strike the right balance between their sporting vision and Allegri's demands.

Since joining Chelsea in a £39.3m deal from Monaco in 2023, Disasi has scored five goals and provided two assists in 61 matches for the club, while also representing Aston Villa on 10 occasions during last season's loan spell.

Where could Raheem Sterling end up in January?

As Disasi waits to learn whether Milan will firm up their interest in him, fellow outcast Sterling is believed to be attracting Premier League interest as the January window comes into view.

The 31-year-old has been ostracised from the group after a disappointing loan stint with Arsenal last season, and he is about to enter the last 18 months of his contract with the Club World Cup winners.

Leeds United and Crystal Palace are believed to be interested in a deal for Sterling, who would likely jump at the chance to continue his career in London for familial reasons.

However, the ex-Liverpool and Manchester City man has been told to snub another Premier League move in favour of trying his hand at a foreign league.