Chelsea welcome N’Golo Kante and Reece James back to full training ahead of Brentford clash

Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Marc Mayo12 October 2021

N’Golo Kante and Reece James handed Chelsea a welcome boost with their return to full training.

Neither player was available for the recent games with Juventus or Southampton and both missed their countries’ World Cup qualifiers while overcoming issues. Kante tested positive for Covid-19 last month and James had been suffering from an ankle injury.

On Tuesday, Chelsea confirmed both men’s involvement in a light training session at Cobham as part of a limited squad working under Thomas Tuchel.

Hakim Ziyech, Ross Barkley, Saul Niguez and Ruben Loftus-Cheek also trained while not on international duty. Moroccan winger Ziyech missed his side’s important 3-0 win at Guinea-Bissau on the weekend after falling out with coach Vahid Halilhodžić and being dropped earlier this year.

Whether Kante and James are fit to play on the weekend remains to be seen, after the Frenchman began individual work a few days ago. Tuchel confirmed that he had been suffering from minor symptoms but has since completed his period of self-isolation.

It has been a disjointed start to the season for James, having scored and set up another in his only full Premier League outing so far. Following that display in the win over Arsenal, he was sent off against Liverpool and has only been picked to start in cup games since.

Chelsea travel to Brentford for a 5.30pm kick-off on Saturday with Tuchel set to decide on a number of selection headaches once the rest of his squad returns from international duty.

Marcos Alonso and Ben Chilwell are vying for the left-back spot with Jorginho and Kante competing to replace Loftus-Cheek in midfield. Kai Havertz and Mason Mount are also pushing for starts, the England midfielder himself recently back from a short lay-off.

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