Liam Rosenior has provided an update on the injury recovery status of Chelsea trio Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill.
The Blues have also been boosted by the return of fit-again Estevao and Jamie Gittens ahead of their FA Cup quarter-final against Port Vale on Saturday.
James has been out with a hamstring injury since last month’s 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle, while Chalobah has been absent since suffering a similar issue towards the end of the Champions League last-16 second leg defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Colwill has not played all season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury which he sustained in Chelsea’s very first training session after their summer break.
Rosenior is unwilling to commit a timeline for when the three defenders could return, but they remain unavailable against Port Vale
“He [Reece James] is getting along really well, but not ready yet,” Rosenior said on Friday. “[He is] not ready yet.
“Trev [Chalobah] is progressing really well as well. Levi, it’s great to have him back in full training but it’s going to take a few more weeks, and he needs to tick those boxes.”
Wingers Estevao and Gittens have both been out with hamstring injuries since the beginning of February but are back available in a boost ahead of Port Vale and next week’s Manchester City game.
Enzo Fernandez will miss both of those matches due to a ban imposed on him by the club for unprofessional comments made over the international break in which he made it clear he would be interested in joining Real Madrid.
Rosenior said: “We’ve got a pretty fresh group. Estevao and Jamie Gittens [are] back, which is really positive ahead of the run-in.”
Asked whether James, Chalobah or Colwill could be fit to face City next Sunday, Rosenior replied: “I don’t know. We work day to day.
“I don’t want to give a timeline and not come through with that timeline and put pressure on those players. But they are all working really, really well in this moment.”
