Liam Rosenior gives Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi update after Chelsea exile | OneFootball

Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has revealed the club are “in conversations” with Raheem Sterling about his future, but fellow exiled teammate Axel Disasi has returned to first-team training.

Sterling and Disasi, both senior players on high salaries, were banished from the first team at the start of the season, with previous boss Enzo Maresca deeming them surplus to requirements.

Sterling, whose £325,000-per-week deal only expires next summer, has been linked with moves to Fulham and West Ham but, with under two weeks until the January window closes, the 31-year-old is yet to secure a move elsewhere.

Yet Rosenior, ahead of his first Champions League game in charge of Chelsea tomorrow night against Pafos, acknowledged that he is hopeful of a resolution for Sterling, whatever that may be, in the next few days.

“We're in conversations with Raheem at the moment about different things going on in his career,” Rosenior said.

“Hopefully that will be clearer in the next couple of days.”

However, centre back Disasi returned to training on Tuesday and Rosenior is focused on building up the Frenchman’s match fitness.

“My decision on Axel: I had a really good meeting with him a couple of days ago,” Rosenior said.

“I said to the players when I came in that it's a clean slate for everybody so it was only right for me to chat with him. He's behind in terms of his fitness, his match fitness and we'll work with him.”

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Raheem Sterling’s Chelsea contract runs until June 2027 (John Walton/PA) (PA Archive)

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Axel Disasi is back in first-team training (PA Archive)

Going into matchday seven, Chelsea are 13th in the Champions League group phase table, two points off the top-eight which would mean skipping the play-off round.

“Your dream, as a player or manager, is to be at the top of the game,” Rosenior said, ahead of his first game in the competition. “The Champions League is a signal of that.

“It's not about me. My focus is on winning the game and being successful here.”

On the prospect of a third European title for the club, Rosenior added: “It would be great. Hopefully third time lucky, but you're not lucky to win a Champions League.