Chelsea handed injury boost ahead of Arsenal clash as long-term absentee returns to training

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Evening Standard

·28 November 2025

Chelsea handed injury boost ahead of Arsenal clash as long-term absentee returns to training

Portuguese has been out since September

Dario Essugo has returned to training after more than ten weeks out injured.

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The defensive midfielder dropped out of the Portugal under-21’s squad in September due to a “muscle problem in his right thigh” and underwent surgery to treat the injury shortly after.

The 20-year-old has been in recovery ever since as he works his way back to match action.

Chelsea received a boost on that front as he trained with the first team squad on Friday morning for the very first time since his injury.

Essugo, who joined the Blues on June 2 from Sporting CP and featured at the Club World Cup, has not played for the west Londoners this season but was named among the substitutes for their first three Premier League games of the season before picking up the thigh problem and leaving the Portugal U21s squad.

Revealing Essugo's return to training, manager Enzo Maresca said on Friday afternoon: “We have also got Dario Essugo.

“He took part in the session this morning. So there is good news for both.”

Maresca was also referring to the news that Cole Palmer is back fit after a week of full training with Chelsea and is available to play and even start against Arsenal in Sunday’s clash between the Premier League’s top two.

Friday’s training session was the first time Essugo had trained since his injury and paves the way for a return to the pitch in matches to come.