Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Dario Essugo is back in full training.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Arsenal game, Maresca said that the Portuguese Under-21 international was available for selection again, along with Cole Palmer:
“We have also got Dario Essugo. He took part in the session this morning [Friday]. So there is good news for both.”
The midfielder has been sidelined since the start of September with a thigh injury that required surgery. He had picked up the issue whilst away on international duty.
Essugo wasn’t expected to be back until the New Year
Maresca’s confirmation that the 20-year-old is training came as a surprise to most people. It was widely reported that Essugo would be in rehab for the rest of the calendar year.
Most Read on Chelsea News
However, it appears that the information was inaccurate, or Essugo is simply a very quick healer. Either way, his presence on the training pitch is very welcome ahead of a busy schedule over the festive period.
Chelsea have another option in midfield
Romeo Lavia’s latest injury setback meant that Maresca was limited in what he could do in terms of team rotation. He has often used Reece James and Malo Gusto in the middle of the park, while Andrey Santos’s recent upturn in form has also been a very positive development.
Even so, Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez are still playing the majority of minutes, and considering both have had fitness issues in recent weeks, Maresca will be keen to rest them at every possible opportunity.
With that in mind, the return to fitness of Essugo, who signed from Sporting Lisbon for £18.5m last summer, gives the manager additional flexibility. We shall have to wait and see how much game time he gets over the coming weeks.
Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here