Ben Chilwell appears to have taken a further step up in his recovery after being pictured coming out to training with the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The Blues first-team squad have had two days off following defeat in the FA Cup final and return on Tuesday to begin their preparations to face Leicester City on Thursday.
Chilwell has been absent from the first team set-up since suffering his ACL injury against Juventus, with the decision made to operate made in January and a rehabilitation process being followed ever since. In April, Thomas Tuchel outlined in April the defender's plan to join in with the academy's training sessions, to have a team training without the physical level of the first team, with the potential the former Leicester ace could return to training at the end of the season - but without the prospect of playing in a match.
The 25-year-old featured in under-18 training last week and now appears to have moved one step further, having been present at Wembley at the weekend. Tuchel reflected on Chilwell's involvement on the training pitches ahead of the match with Leeds United.
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He said: "Very good, he did already training sessions with the under-16s and 18s, football sessions and it is nice to see him, and it is very positive. He can't wait to start and be in team training again. It is still not the time, but it's very important he is positive and that everything goes the right way with his patience."
The German coach has no intention but to see Chilwell in a position to be fully fit in time for next season. He added: "We are expecting that nothing else. There are no expectations this season, we will not rush things. It is too important that the knee gets its time to heal, and Ben is too important that we take any risk now. We expect him in shape and his best energy for preparation in July, and then hopefully he can find his form back, you never know, it was a big injury, but we are happy when he's back."
