Graham Potter has had to contend with a number of injury issues since being appointed Chelsea head coach at the beginning of September but the Blues boss has been given a timely boost.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has made his return to Chelsea training after overcoming the thigh issue sustained against Newcastle United in November – and there is hope Ben Chilwell can be reintegrated into the first team set-up after next week’s Premier League clash against Fulham.

Loftus-Cheek was forced off inside the opening five minutes of the 1-0 defeat at St James’ Park on November 12 and undertook the majority of his recovery work during the World Cup break. He was included in the squad that travelled out to Abu Dhabi for warm-weather training but was not involved in the sessions put on by Potter and his coaching staff in the Middle East.

The 26-year-old has continued his recovery at Cobham over the past three weeks and is understood to have rejoined first-team training prior to Chelsea’s clash against Nottingham Forest on New Year’s Day. Loftus-Cheek featured regularly in midfield following Potter’s arrival but is unlikely to be rushed back after seven weeks on the sideline.

Chilwell has been absent since being helped off the Stamford Bridge pitch during the 2-1 victory over Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League on November 2. The England international suffered a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the World Cup, a bitter blow given how hard the full-back had worked to recover from knee ligament surgery that had ruled him out for the first half of 2022.

The 26-year-old has spent the past two months undertaking rehabilitation work and is believed to be closing in on a return to first-team training. football.london has been told the hope is Chilwell can be reincorporated into Potter’s squad following next week’s clash against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

source:https://www.football.london/