It wasn’t on many people’s bingo cards, but just a few days into 2026, and Liam Rosenior is gearing up to take charge of his first match as Chelsea boss. Having been in the stands for their recent 2-1 defeat away to Fulham, the former Hull City and Fulham player will be in the dugout for this weekend’s FA Cup clash with Charlton Athletic.
Rosenior, of course, has history working with the Chelsea owners, given he was parachuted in from the Blues’ sister club, Strasbourg. It remains to be seen whether the 41-year-old will be backed by BlueCo in the January window, but Express Sport have picked out some deals that could happen at Stamford Bridge before the deadline.
Mike Maignan
Mike Maignan has been a long-term target for the two-time European champions, with it looking like Chelsea were closing in on the goalkeeper during the recent summer transfer window. A move didn’t transpire, but with the Frenchman’s AC Milan contract expiring in the summer, Chelsea could reignite their interest. Maignan is locked in contract talks with the Serie A side, so if Chelsea were to go ahead and make an approach for the shot-stopper, they’d best get a move on.
Raheem Sterling
Remember him? Raheem Sterling was one of BlueCo’s first statement signings after they arrived at the club in 2022, but the £47.5million man’s career quickly fell by the wayside. Fast forward three-and-a-half years, Sterling has been frozen out of the Chelsea side and is expected to finally leave the club for good in January.
Valentin Barco
Despite his tender age, Valentin Barco has endured a rollercoaster career. After bursting onto the scene as a wonderkid at Boca Juniors, Barco made a high-profile move to Premier League Brighton, but it never really clicked into gear for the talented teen. Instead, after an initial loan spell, the Argentine settled at Strasbourg, working with none other than Rosenior. It’s unlikely, should they wish to take a punt, Chelsea would encounter too many hurdles when negotiating with Strasbourg.
Axel Disasi
Another exiled Blue, Axel Disasi joined a year after Sterling, but his career has followed a similar trajectory. Time is running out for the defender to get his career as a professional back on track, with a whole host of clubs said to be lining up an approach.
Vinicius Junior
While it would be a little bit of a departure from their recent transfer policy, when a player of Vinicius Junior’s quality becomes available, it’s difficult to turn it down. It looks like it could be heading that way for the Real Madrid ace, who is still at odds with manager Xabi Alonso. Perhaps one to keep an eye on for the remainder of the month and beyond.
Filip Jorgensen
Should a move for a new goalkeeper transpire, it’s likely one of the current shot-stoppers on Chelsea’s roster will be shown the exit door. Filip Jorgensen is reportedly attracting interest from Turkish side Besiktas, who are said to be keen on an initial loan with an option to buy deal.
Tyrique George
Another one of the ‘will he, won’t he?’ players from the summer transfer window, Tyrique George’s proposed move to Fulham didn’t go through, with the youngster sticking around at Stamford Bridge instead. Six months down the line, and it looks like a bad outcome, given the teenager has started just five matches across all competitions all season.