Injury prone midfielder Romeo Lavia has returned to partial training for Chelsea FC. In convalescence from a thigh injury, hopes are high that he could resume full training at some point soon.
And then maybe, a couple weeks or so after that, he’ll be back on the pitch. As long as everything goes according to plan.
London Derby FYIs
West Ham United at Chelsea FC
Kickoff: Sat. Jan 31 5:30pm, Stamford Bridge, London, UK
Team News: West Ham United Chelsea Part 1 Chelsea Part 2
Premier League Standings, Form: West Ham United 18th 20 pts DLLWW Chelsea FC 5th, 37 points DDLWW
Result Probability: West Ham United 16% Draw 20% Chelsea FC 64%
Because Romeo Lavia really deserves it. He is due some good luck. The Belgian was signed for Chelsea, from Southampton, in August of 2023. He has only made 21 Premier League appearances since then.
Across all competitions, he’s only featured 30 times in total for Chelsea.
Liam Rosenior, who became Blues boss three weeks ago, is looking forward to working with Lavia.
“In his recent history, it’s not been what he’s wanted,” Rosenior said.
“He has the potential to be a world-class midfielder. We need to make sure when he’s back, he’s fully fit.
“He needs to clear a few hurdles before he fully trains, but I’m very excited to work with him.”
We’ll see what happens when Lavia returns, maybe he’ll be ready to go at some point in late February.
Chelsea Injury List
In addition to Romeo Lavia, Chelsea will be without the services of Dario Essugo (unspecified/undisclosed) Levi Colwill (knee), Tosin Adarabioyo (thigh) and Myhailo Mudryk (suspension).
Cole Palmer (recovering from a groin injury), meanwhile is on managed minutes right now.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor 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.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.