Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso could have key duo Cole Palmer and Reece James back in contention for Saturday's Premier League home match against Bournemouth. The potential returns offer a significant boost to a squad that sits 10th in the table with seven points from five games.
Alonso stated before the recent international break that James "only narrowly missed out" on the 3-0 defeat at Brentford. The manager added that he would therefore "expect him to return three weeks later when the Blues face Bournemouth." James, the club captain, has been sidelined with a hamstring issue. Palmer, who missed England's Nations League squad for load management, has been working on his fitness during the break and is also targeting the weekend fixture. Former England manager Thomas Tuchel recently remarked that Palmer "misses way too many camps," highlighting the forward's recent injury history.
Midfield and attack still in recovery
Several other first-team players remain in various stages of rehabilitation. Midfielder Moises Caicedo, who has managed just 14 minutes this season due to a calf problem, is another who could be in the frame for Bournemouth. Ecuador opted not to call him up for recent friendlies to aid his recovery. Striker Emmanuel Emegha, a summer signing yet to make his competitive debut after a July hamstring injury, has been training and is pushing for involvement.
Forward Joao Pedro, Chelsea's top scorer this season with three goals in four appearances, faces a longer wait. He salvaged a 2-2 draw against Hull City in his last outing before withdrawing from the Brazil squad. He has been receiving specialist treatment on a knee issue, with an exact return date unclear but expected at some point in October. Youngster Jamie Gittens is also out after suffering an ankle injury on England Under-21 duty, with his return date pending further assessment.
New signings and back-ups also affected
Summer signing Marco Palestra, a £27 million arrival from Atalanta, is yet to make his competitive debut after picking up a muscle injury in training just before the season opener. The defender has been training fully in recent weeks and looks poised to finally be available. Backup goalkeeper Mike Penders, who sustained a quad injury while with Belgium, has returned to training and was on the bench for his national team's latest matches.
Chelsea's form has been mixed, with the heavy loss at Brentford preceding the break. They will hope the return of influential figures can help improve results, starting with the visit of 17th-placed Bournemouth. The full squad list will be confirmed ahead of the 3pm kick-off at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Fans can check the latest team news and view the upcoming fixtures on the club's official site.
This story first appeared at Khel Now
