Chelsea forced to shut academy for deep clean after Covid outbreak

Chelsea have had to close their academy due to a Covid-19 outbreak affecting players and staff.  

The famed training centre, which has produced current stars like Mason Mount and Callum Hudson-Odoi, will be shut for the rest of the week as it undergoes a deep clean.  

A number of positive cases have been returned, with those affected  having to isolate for ten days, but it is understood it will have no impact on Frank Lampard’s first team or the Ladies team.  

The senior players train in their own bubble at Cobham, which means they are kept separate from the academy.  

The development squad’s game against West Ham on Friday has now had to be postponed, as well as the under 18s’ fixture with Brighton.  

Chelsea will continue to review the situation before a return date is set.  

It’s understood Chelsea’s testing protocols go above and beyond Premier League requirements, with the club testing their U23s players and further down the academy, which is why the outbreak was caught.  

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s game against Fulham has been pushed back to Saturday from Friday.  

Fulham will now face Tottenham on Wednesday, meaning the Chelsea clash had to be pushed back 24 hours.