Chelsea: No way back to first-team training for Chelsea's 'bomb squad', exiles says Enzo Maresca

The Italian has had no contact with the three players who failed to find moves away from the club this summer

Your matchday briefing on Chelsea , featuring team news and expert analysis from Dom Smith

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice .

Enzo Maresca has not seen Raheem Sterling since the beginning of the season and is not in contact with the remaining members of Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’.

A number of Chelsea players informed they are not in Maresca’s plans have been training away from the first team at the club’s Cobham training ground since last season.

Some were able to negotiate exits from the club, such as Ben Chilwell, who joined Strasbourg , and Renato Veiga , who signed for Villarreal.

But Sterling’s preference to remain in London means the ex-England winger remains at Chelsea, training in a group that has shrunk significantly due to summer sales but still includes Axel Disasi and David Datro Fofana.

“First of all, they are Chelsea players and have contracts with the club, but at this moment they are still training apart,” Maresca said on Friday.

When asked whether conversations with those players have been difficult, Maresca revealed: “Since the start of the season, I haven't seen them.

“I did see Renato Veiga [before he left], but they train on a different pitch at a different time.”

Maresca was asked whether there is any way back into the squad for the trio, to which he simply replied: “No.”

Sterling, Disasi, and Fofana were all named in Chelsea’s official Premier League squad on Friday.

Midfielder Dario Essugo underwent successful surgery on a thigh injury this week but is now in a period of recovery and could be out until 2026.

Essugo was signed as the natural understudy to Moises Caicedo. Maresca said on Friday there are “question marks” over the involvement of Caicedo and other South American internationals in Saturday’s game at Brentford because of their late returns to Cobham.

The Italian then explained who can cover Caicedo in defensive midfield in Essugo’s absence.

“Romeo [Lavia], if he is fit,” the Italian said. “They can also play together, Moises and Romeo.

“I think Andrey [Santos] can play there. Otherwise, we need to try different things as tried in the past with, I don't know, Josh [Acheampong] as a No6, or Reece [James] as a No6. But in this moment, for sure, it’s Romeo, Moises, Andrey.”