Chelsea get a boost from Reece James, but two players out injured until the new year
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Reece James will return to team training on Saturday as he works his way back from his latest hamstring strain. injurybut Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana are out until 2025.
James has managed just four appearances in all competitions this season, having started the season with a hamstring problem before picking up a further problem at the end of November which has kept him on the sidelines ever since.
The 25-year-old has recently been spotted again and Maresca has confirmed in his last pre-match press conference that he will intensify his recovery by returning to partial training.
“Reece will finally start with us tomorrow for part of the session, so slowly, little by little, he will come back,” said the Italian. “That doesn’t mean he’ll be with us Sunday or next Sunday. Only tomorrow.
“The plan for him tomorrow is to be with the team for part of the session and from there try to build the right conditions for him and eventually he can come back with us.”
James’ return to competitive games still seems to be weeks away and so is defenders Badiashile and Fofana.
“Both are still sidelined and both will still be out for a long period,” Maresca said, before confirming that neither player will return before January.
Midfielder Romeo Lavia will face a late test of form before Maresca makes a final decision on his availability, but Chelsea he has no other injury issues as it stands. They are, however, without winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who has been provisionally suspended after failing a drug test. Asked for an update on the case, Maresca simply replied: “No, nothing.”
English