Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has seemingly been provided with a notable injury boost ahead of the return to action after the November international break.
Although the Blues went into the rest period on the back of a 3-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Maresca would have been delighted to have some respite when several key players have been dealing with fitness issues.
Enzo Fernandez acknowledged that he needed some time on the sidelines to rest a knee issue, while some of his teammates have been afforded brief breaks.
Winger Jamie Gittens is said to have only picked up a minor knock for England Under-21s last week and is currently in line to be available for the next Premier League fixture.
However, there has been some doubt over Pedro Neto who withdrew from the Portugal squad after dealing with an injury during the last week of club action.
Chelsea's Pedro Neto pictured on November 1, 2025
Chelsea receive Neto boost
Neto missed the Champions League trip to Qarabag FK before returning for the game against former club Wolves, featuring for 77 minutes ahead of requesting to be substituted.
The 25-year-old is said to have been suffering with a minor muscle and/or groin issue since the early days of the month and he has not featured in training for some of that time.
Nevertheless, Neto was pictured in training on Monday to suggest that he is close to regaining full fitness ahead of the resumption of action.
Chelsea are due to make the trip to Burnley this weekend before they play host to Barcelona and Arsenal in the Champions League and Premier League respectively.
Maresca's side still have 11 matches to play before the turn of the year and the Italian will want to have as many squad members available to rotate when necessary.
Chelsea's Pedro Neto celebrates scoring against Wolves on November 8, 2025
Why Neto is an under-rated key Chelsea player
With three goals and two assists from 13 starts and two substitute outings in all competitions during 2025-26, Neto's numbers do not stand out.
That said, Neto has started every Premier League fixture and accumulated 1,029 minutes across all competitions, the sixth-most in the Chelsea squad despite his recent issues.
Even when on the substitutes' bench, Neto has only not been used on one occasion, and there is an argument that he is Maresca's first-choice wide player due to his seniority and work-rate.
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