While Chelsea are suffering through a very well-documented injury crisis right now, the situation is expected to ease this week, with the anticipation of three players returning to training. According to a report in football.london, Reece James, Armando Broja and Benoit Badiashile should all return to training after the international break, which concludes after tomorrow night’s slate of action.
That certainly doesn’t guarantee that the trio will be in contention for selection in Sunday’s league clash at AFC Bournemouth, but hey, it’s a start.
???Armando Broja, Benoît Badiashile and Reece James are expected to return after the international break in a very much welcome boost to Chelsea.#CFC
— Chelsea Dodgers (@TheBlueDodger) September 11, 2023
The James news has been confirmed by the Evening Standard, while the player himself has posted some very encouraging things on social media about his potential return. Like Badiashile, he is returning from a thigh/hamstring injury.
And getting these three names on the road to return provides a much needed boost to a badly battered squad. It eases the injury list, but plenty remain, with Romeo Lavia (more on him in a bit) now being added to it, late last week.
Meanwhile Trevoh Chalobah remains out, with, you guessed it, a hamstring/thigh problem. Elsewhere Christopher Nkunku, Carney Chukwuemeka and Wesley Fofana are all in various stages of recovery from some kind of serious knee injury. And it is this body part that has kept Broja out since the middle of last season.
And then also Mykhailo Mudryk and Marcus Bettinelli are doubts for Sunday, after they have also been out due to unspecified issues.
Getting back to Lavia, his potential timeline for return is now about six weeks, as scans revealed ankle ligament damage. We’ll be back soon with a full Chelsea Team News vs Bournemouth article ahead of match day.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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