Chelsea transfer news: Liam Rosenior reveals exiled player back training with first team, hints at opportunities

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has suggested that Axel Disasi is in his plans for the rest of the season.

Disasi has gone over 12 months without making a senior appearance for the Blues having been dropped from Enzo Maresca's squad last January.

A loan move to Aston Villa during the second half of 2025-26 did not lead to a permanent transfer, and the Frenchman has been left to work occasionally with the club's Under-21s.

However, Disasi was a notable inclusion in first-team training on Tuesday as Chelsea prepare to face Pafos FC in the Champions League.

Despite constant speculation regarding an exit for the France international, it appears that Rosenior is interested in using him in his squad going forward.

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Rosenior offers Disasi Chelsea hope

Speaking to reporters at a press conference, Rosenior revealed that he had held lengthy conversations with the 27-year-old and is now keep to "get him up to speed".

Rosenior said: "My decision on Axel, I had a really good meeting with him a couple of days ago. I wanted to catch up with him, see where he was in terms of his career.

"I said to the players, it's one thing saying things, it's another thing living that. I said to the players when I came in, it's a clean slate for everybody. So it was only right for me to have a conversation with him.

"Really good conversation. I got to know him really, really well. It was the right thing to be back involved with the group.

"Because of the situation he's been in, he's behind in terms of his fitness, his match fitness, and we'll keep working with him really, really hard to get him up to speed."

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Why has Disasi become a Chelsea option?

Later in his press conference, Rosenior revealed that Tosin Adarabioyo would be sidelined for "a few weeks" with a hamstring injury.

Although Chelsea are not short of options in the middle of their backline, Disasi is effectively acting as a straight alternative for the time being.

That could change if Jeremy Jacquet is signed from Rennes over the coming days, but there is seemingly potential for Disasi to feature in a matchday squad during the coming weeks.