Axel Disasi will remain out of contention for Chelsea even as injuries continue to pile up in defence. The French centre-back, who has not featured since January, is still not part of Enzo Maresca’s plans.
Chelsea’s defensive problems worsened when Levi Colwill suffered a serious knee injury in August, ruling him out for most of the campaign. Wesley Fofana is also unavailable due to concussion protocols following a recent head injury, while Tosin Adarabioyo is recovering from a calf problem and won’t return until after the October international break.
Benoît Badiashile has resumed training but is not yet match fit, leaving Trevoh Chalobah to carry much of the responsibility. Academy graduate Josh Acheampong is also expected to be available against Brighton after missing the midweek Carabao Cup tie through illness.
Despite the shortage of options, Maresca has made it clear that Disasi is not being reconsidered. The 26-year-old, who joined Chelsea for £39 million from Monaco in 2023, was exiled during the summer as part of the club’s “bomb squad” and trained separately from the main group. His loan stint at Aston Villa last season did little to improve his prospects, and no permanent move materialised.
Maresca insists that the club’s long-term rebuild requires tough decisions and confirmed that injuries will not influence who is part of the project. As a result, Disasi looks set to remain sidelined for the foreseeable future.
