While the Premier League spotlight shines on emerging talents and title contenders, several established players have quietly disappeared from view this season. From expensive signings training away from first-team squads to promising talents sidelined by cruel injuries, these footballers represent millions in transfer fees but zero minutes on the pitch.
The Chelsea Bomb Squad Exiles
Raheem Sterling's dramatic fall from grace epitomises Chelsea's chaotic recruitment strategy. The £50 million signing from Manchester City arrived as a statement of intent but now finds himself training separately from the first team after being deemed surplus to requirements by manager Enzo Maresca.
Despite being a four-time Premier League champion and England's standout performer at Euro 2020, Sterling now occupies space in what Chelsea insiders call the "bomb squad." The 30-year-old trains on different pitches at different times with limited facility access, a stark contrast to the player who consistently delivered double-digit goal tallies.
French defender Axel Disasi joins Sterling in exile, despite having played in a World Cup final for France just two years ago. The £38.7 million signing from Monaco made only six Premier League appearances before Maresca decided his poor one-on-one defending and lack of composure made him dispensable.
The final nail in Disasi's coffin came during December's 2-0 defeat at Ipswich, where his careless pass gifted the hosts a goal. He hasn't featured since a 17-minute cameo against Wolves in January.
Manchester United's Forgotten Full-Back
Tyrell Malacia arrived at Old Trafford nearly four years ago as the first building block of Erik ten Hag's rebuild. The 22-year-old from Feyenoord represented fresh optimism, but that promise has faded after just 25 Premier League appearances.
After playing 39 games in his debut season, a serious meniscus injury kept Malacia sidelined for 550 days. By his return, Manchester United had new owners, a new manager, and the young full-back had been largely forgotten.
Despite helping PSV win the Eredivisie title during a loan spell last season, Malacia returned to find himself in United's version of the bomb squad. While training partners like Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho found moves elsewhere, Malacia remains, with just one bench appearance against Brighton offering fleeting hope.
Cruel Twists of Fate and Injury
At Liverpool, Rhys Williams has become so invisible that many fans might not realise he's still contracted to the club. The unlikely hero of Liverpool's injury-ravaged 2020-21 season, Williams played 19 games including Champions League nights at just 19 years old.
He helped fill the void left by Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joël Matip, contributing significantly to Liverpool's third-place finish. Yet since that breakthrough campaign, Williams has endured four seasons and five loan spells without another first-team appearance.
Fábio Carvalho's career has been hampered by limited opportunities since his £7.5 million move from Fulham to Liverpool in 2022. Jurgen Klopp described him as "a player who can bring a stadium to its feet," but Carvalho managed just 640 minutes across two seasons at Anfield.
His £27.5 million move to Brentford promised development opportunities, but he's started just four league games and played only 96 minutes this term. A cruel twist came last week when the 23-year-old ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in training, ruling him out for the season.
Brighton legend Solly March represents perhaps the saddest case of all. The club's second longest-serving player after Lewis Dunk hasn't been seen since April's 62-minute appearance against West Ham - which itself marked his first start in 533 days after an ACL injury.
Just days after expressing optimism about returning to full fitness next season, March suffered another knee injury that has effectively edged the Brighton stalwart out of the picture, with just eight starts last season.
These stories highlight football's brutal reality - where yesterday's heroes can quickly become today's forgotten men, regardless of their past achievements or future potential.
