Chelsea injury latest: Reece James, Romeo Lavia and more | OneFootball

Chelsea Injury Update: Reece James, Romeo Lavia and Squad Fitness Latest

Chelsea’s weekend brought a welcome reminder of their attacking ceiling as Cole Palmer returned to the starting XI and struck a first half hat trick, while Pedro Neto also shook off a recent knock to feature for Liam Rosenior’s side. Yet, as ever at Stamford Bridge, the conversation quickly turns to availability, recovery timelines and how the manager balances risk ahead of a busy schedule that includes a Premier League meeting with Leeds.

Reece James Fitness Status Before Leeds Clash

Chelsea were again without Reece James at Wolves, the captain missing a second match with what Rosenior described as a “small knock”. Given his history, supporters were understandably twitchy, though the manager has attempted to steady the narrative.

James completed “modified” training late last week and even returned to running, but the final decision was to leave him out of the trip to Molineux. The right back has since overcome the initial issue, though illness briefly complicated matters ahead of Leeds.

Rosenior clarified the situation on Monday, stating: “Reece is fit. A small issue, but he’s feeling unwell today.

“It’s not a conspiracy, it’s true. Hopefully he’ll be well enough to play tomorrow.”

He added: “The staff have been down, my coaching staff, staff around the club.

“Fortunately only Reece from the players is affected at the moment. It’s something we’re just trying to work on at the moment.”

The expectation remains that James could return to the Chelsea squad immediately, with February 10 against Leeds pencilled in as the realistic target.

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Romeo Lavia Recovery Plan and Return Outlook

Romeo Lavia’s absence has stretched back to the early stages of the 2-2 Champions League draw away at Qarabag in November, a thigh injury halting his momentum just as he was beginning to influence midfield rhythm.

Encouragingly, the Belgian has rejoined training across the past two days, though the tone from the Chelsea staff suggests patience rather than haste. Rosenior outlined the process with characteristic caution.

“We have a really detailed plan for him. He was back on the training pitch with us the last two days.

“It’s been great to see him. He’s been such a great player. We all know that.

“But what we have to do is make sure that when he’s back, he’s back for good. So we’re just making sure that he gets the right plan over the next ten days to two weeks to achieve that.”

If rehabilitation continues without setbacks, a return before the end of the month remains possible.

Defensive Options Boosted by Tosin Adarabioyo Progress

At centre back, Chelsea have been handed a quieter but significant lift. Tosin Adarabioyo has resumed training following the hamstring problem sustained against Brentford in mid January.

“Tosin is looking good,” Rosenior confirmed. “He trained today, which is great to have him back in and around the group.”

With depth available across the back line, the coaching staff may choose to manage his reintegration carefully, potentially holding him back for the FA Cup tie at Hull City rather than rushing him into league action.

Elsewhere, Andrey Santos has shaken off a swollen ankle and is expected to feature, while longer term cases such as Levi Colwill and Dario Essugo continue their respective recoveries with no firm dates attached.

For Chelsea, the picture is improving incrementally. The short term availability of Reece James, the structured reintegration of Romeo Lavia and the return of Tosin Adarabioyo collectively offer Rosenior more options, and perhaps, a little more continuity as the fixtures keep coming.