Chelsea boosted by key players returning to training

Chelsea have been boosted by the return of four first-team players ahead of next weekend's Premier League clash with London rivals West Ham United.

Enzo Fernandez and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall were both absent from the recent win over Bournemouth due to illness, while fellow midfielder Romeo Lavia was missing for a fourth game in all competitions because of a hamstring injury. Malo Gusto was also sidelined with injury.

But all four returned to training on Monday in a significant lift for boss Enzo Maresca, who appears generally to be getting to grips with his squad after a tumultuous pre-season and transfer window.

Jadon Sancho was reported by the BBC to not be part of the main training group as a result of doing a recovery session. The winger played his first football in more than a month as a second half substitute against Bournemouth, setting up the only goal of the game for Christopher Nkunku.

There is nothing to suggest that Sancho would be any sort of doubt moving forward.

The returns of Fernandez, Dewsbury-Hall, Lavia and Gusto almost completely clears Chelsea's injury list, but club captain Reece James remains out with a hamstring problem. Having been limited to only 11 appearances and 482 minutes across all competitions last season, the right-back is yet to feature at all in 2024/25 and doesn't appear close to being available either.

Chelsea are due to face Barrow in the third round of the Carabao Cup on 24 September, but their European campaign in the UEFA Conference League doesn't get underway until the first week of October when Belgian side Gent are the visitors at Stamford Bridge.

Before then, the Blues also have to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.

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