Chelsea’s depleted squad overcame their lack of available stars to return to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth on Tuesday.
The Blues were without a total of seven players for their return to Premier League action, although two of those in Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech remained on extended leave following their World Cup exploits. Nonetheless, Graham Potter will be hoping for no further setbacks ahead of the New Year’s Day trip to face Nottingham Forest.
Here is all you need to know about the current state of play at Stamford Bridge and the expected return dates for those out on the sidelines.
Reece James
Chelsea defender Reece James made his long awaited return to action against Bournemouth on Tuesday after making a full recovery from a knee injury.
James played 65 minutes in the behind-closed-doors friendly against Brentford last week and was thrown straight into the starting lineup to face the Cherries. However, he lasted just 53 minutes of the contest before he was forced off with his latest issue and is now a doubt to face Nottingham Forest.
Speaking on Tuesday, Potter said: “We will have to see over the next 24 to 48 hours. At the moment it is a bit too soon, but he felt something there so we’ll wait to see the extent of it and keep our fingers crossed at the moment.”
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Edouard Mendy
Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is one of the latest names to be added to Chelsea's injury list after missing out on the 2-0 victory over Bournemouth on Tuesday.
Mendy was one of many Blues players to feature at the World Cup as he helped Senegal to reach the last 16 in Qatar, although it came at a price as he picked up a problem with a bone whilst he was away. As a result, he remains a doubt for the trip to Nottingham Forest.
Speaking on Friday, Potter said: "Mendy we're not sure, we’ll see how he is over the next few days. He has a problem with a bone that he picked up at the World Cup and needed a little bit of time."
Wesley Fofana
Wesley Fofana will remain out for an extended period of time after suffering a setback in his recovery from a long-term knee injury that he sustained in October.
The Frenchman was ruled out of the World Cup but would have featured against Bournemouth in midweek had he not been forced off in Chelsea’s recent mid-season friendly with Brentford. As a result, it could be another month before he returns.
Speaking on December 23, Potter said: “Wesley had a little setback, which can sometimes happen at the very last stage of rehab, so he will be [out for] a couple of weeks.”
Ben Chilwell
Left back Ben Chilwell remains out of action after picking up a fresh long-term issue following the 2-1 victory over Dinamo Zagreb on November 2.
Like James, he was ruled out of England’s World Cup squad and it was feared that the 26-year-old could miss up to three months of action. Chilwell did travel with the squad for their mid-season training camp in Dubai, but is not expected to return until next month.
Speaking on December 7, Potter said: “Ben has come back from his individual work in Dubai, and he's now working closer with the guys but still not team training.”
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also not expected to return until next month as he continues to recover from a calf injury.
The Englishman sustained the issue in the 1-0 defeat to Newcastle on November 12 in the Blues’ final club game before the World Cup and was not deemed fit enough to feature against Bournemouth on Tuesday, while he remains a doubt for New Year’s Day.
Speaking on December 7, Potter said: “Ruben is doing some work in the gym so we’re hopeful that he can be involved next week but we’ll see how he goes.”
N’Golo Kante
N’Golo Kante remains sidelined for the long-term as he continues his recovery from a serious hamstring injury which has ruled him out of action since the second game of the season.
The Frenchman had initially returned to training in October but received a further setback in his recovery, which eventually saw him require surgery for the issue. Although he has since stepped up his rehab, Kante could still be ruled out until March.
Speaking on December 23, Potter said: “He’ll be end of Feb, start of March. It’s a surgery so it’s a minimum period of four months. My focus is to help him get back fit as soon as possible, and getting him back on the pitch in the right way, because we haven’t seen him.”
Armando Broja
Armando Broja is ruled out for the rest of season after picking up a knee injury during the 1-0 friendly defeat to Aston Villa in Abu Dhabi on December 11.
The Albanian forward saw his boot get stuck in the turf and force his knee into an awkward position as a result, leaving him in immense pain on the pitch. Chelsea have since confirmed that he ruptured his ACL and will undergo major reconstruction.
That will rule him out for at least eight to nine months, meaning Broja’s season is already over and he will not return to action until the start of the next campaign.
