With the exception of Belarus, global football is currently suspended. There is talk of the Premier League eying a potential mid-June return, and with that in mind, a possible May 18 return to training for Chelsea FC.
With that in mind, the club have now called their foreign players, who travelled to their home countries for lockdown, back to the club. The list includes: goalkeeper Kepa Arizzabalaga, winger Pedro and left back Marcos Alonso who were all in Spain, central defender Andreas Christensen in Denmark, full back Emerson in Italy, winger Willian in Brazil and winger Christian Pulisic in the United States.
Additionally, we have news items and notes on most of the aforementioned Chelsea figures. Regarding Pulisic, he stated, via the club’s web channel that he’s now fully fit and ready to go, once the green light is finally given. He’s been out with an adductor injury since New Year’s Day.
Regarding Kepa, he’s been strongly linked with a move away from the club this spring, as transfer rumors sprouted from his demotion. However, the world’s most expensive shot-stopper has spoken out, and he says that his relationship with manager Frank Lampard is very strong.
Arrizabalaga adds that he’s committed to staying, competing and winning at Chelsea. The Sport Review has more.
Speaking of Lampard, he has spoken up about Project Restart and the current coronavirus crisis. Given how any restart plan hinges on extensive testing, and covid-19 testing may not be widely available yet, the Blues boss believes, rightfully so that frontline health care workers should be prioritzed over footballers when it comes to getting tested.
And finally Pedro is nearing free agency, and a few clubs have been circling, awaiting their opportunity to possible acquire the forward on a free. AS Roms and Real Betis are keen, with more on this from The Sun.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly contributes to WGN TV, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Now and SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for Chicago Tribune.com, on Twitter and his cat on Instagram.
