Enzo Maresca has confirmed Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi will not get a recall to the Chelsea squad despite failing to secure a move away this summer.

Sterling was loaned out to Arsenal last season after being told he was not part of Maresca’s plans. His last appearance for Chelsea was against Bournemouth in May last year. There were enquiries from clubs in Italy, Germany and England during the window but he is still at the London club.

Disasi spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa after struggling to make a positive impact under Maresca, who took over as head coach in June 2024. The defender also didn’t get a move having been put up for sale or a loan throughout the window.

Sterling (2027) and Disasi (2029) have plenty of time left on their current deals, but Maresca says they will not come under consideration.

He said: “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.”

Pressed on whether they have any chance of being part of his squad in future, he replied: “No.”

Disasi made 10 appearances for Villa while on loan (Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Maresca says academy starlets Shim Mheuka, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen and Reggie Walsh are in his thinking.

Mheuka and Walsh made their senior debuts under the Italian last season. Kavuma-McQueen should soon be in contention too having scored four goals and made one assist in England Under-17s 7-5 win over Germany earlier this week.

Maresca admits 16-year-old midfielder Walsh, who played in both legs of the UEFA Conference League semi-final win over Djurgarden four months ago, particularly impresses him.

“I like all the academy guys but Reggie is the one I like more than the rest,” he said. “I like Reggie because he is doing things that I’m demanding to the other players, but he is doing those things without me asking him to do that. I don’t need to ask him to do something. What he’s doing is already what I want from that player.

“They (Mheuka and Kavuma-McQueen) are both in my plans, for sure. Shimmy was already with us, he played some games for us last year.

“The other one (Kavuma-McQueen) for me is more of a winger. He scored four goals against Germany. I even watched that game. I was very impressed but I already knew him. We always have one of my staff watching the second team (Under-21ss) since last year. They told me that this guy was very good so I watched him. I think he’s good.”

(Jason Mowry/Getty Images)