Thomas Tuchel handed huge Chelsea injury boost ahead of Tottenham Hotspur clash
According to football.london, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is set to receive a massive injury boost ahead of his side’s Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend. This is because first-team stars Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah are stepping up their recovery from injuries.
The Blues have been reeling from a defensive injury crisis since the end of last year, with multiple senior stars ruled out for lengthy periods thanks to injuries and Covid concerns. With Chelsea’s players currently on a two-day break granted by their German coach, Tuchel is sure to be happy about the recovery process undertaken by Cobham products James and Chalobah.
Having just played London rivals Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month in the Carabao Cup semi-final, Chelsea find themselves coming up against Spurs once again on Sunday. Tuchel will hope that his side produces the same result that they had against Tottenham across both legs of the league cup semi-final.
Centre-back Chalobah has not featured for the Blues since being subbed off in the game against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge this month, which saw Chelsea claim a draw against the Reds. The defender was said to have gone into the Liverpool clash with a hamstring issue but was forced to take the field as his side were short of defensive options.
James, on the other hand, has been out of action since suffering a torn hamstring in the 1-1 draw against Brighton at home at the end of December. The England international left that game on crutches, with fears that surgery may be needed to ensure a full recovery. Luckily for Tuchel, that proved not to be the case.
With Spurs visiting Stamford Bridge on the weekend, Tuchel is expected to see Chalobah back training with the group. James meanwhile is still not close to making a return to the first-team squad. Chalobah is said to have been given ample time to recover after being rushed back from injury in December due to the Covid cases in the squad.
Nothing would please Chelsea fans more than a positive update on their defensive stars returning to action. Despite the injuries to James and Chalobah not being long term like that of Ben Chilwell, the sheer amount of games that we have played in the last month has exaggerated the issue.
Tuchel has been desperate to sign players on the flank to cover for Chilwell and James during the ongoing transfer window. The news about James closing in on a return is sure to please the German. A potential return for Chalobah against Spurs also bodes well for the Chelsea boss, heading into the weekend.
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Despite the return of the English duo, Tuchel will still be expected to dip into the transfer market to sign some defensive cover. The German has realised that amidst this packed schedule, it is imperative to give his players a rest and rotate his squad as much as he can. Our team is one injury away from needing more cover, and with Covid being unpredictable, it is better to be safe than sorry and sign someone who can fit in at the back.
With our defenders slowly returning to full fitness, Tuchel’s next priority would be to hope that the club quickly wraps up contract negotiations with his senior centre-backs, most of whom are without a deal beyond the summer, including club captain Cesar Azpilicueta.