Xabi Alonso has opened the door for Marco Palestra and Jordan Henderson to make their competitive Chelsea debuts against Brentford on Friday night.
Both summer arrivals have trained with the first team after injury problems prevented them from featuring during the opening weeks of the season.
Alonso stopped short of confirming either player will be included at the Gtech Community Stadium, but neither has been ruled out.
Chelsea will make a final decision following their last assessment before the west London derby.
Marco Palestra could finally make Chelsea debut
Palestra has been waiting for his first competitive Chelsea appearance since suffering a quadriceps injury shortly before the Premier League season began.
The 21-year-old impressed during pre-season following his arrival from Atalanta but has subsequently missed Chelsea’s opening six competitive fixtures.
Alonso recently revealed that Palestra was entering the final stages of his recovery, with Brentford identified as a possible comeback date.
That possibility remains alive.
Chelsea’s official team-news update ahead of Brentford confirmed Alonso was asked specifically whether Palestra or Henderson could be ready to make their debuts.
“Tomorrow is the final decision,” Alonso said.
He explained that Chelsea need to assess every position following the final training session before settling on the squad for Brentford.
Palestra’s availability would give Alonso another natural option on the right side of his system alongside Reece James and Malo Gusto.
His return could become particularly useful as Chelsea’s fixture schedule intensifies after the international break.
Jordan Henderson waits for first Chelsea appearance
Henderson is also closing in on his Chelsea debut after recovering from the broken wrist he suffered during the World Cup.
The midfielder joined Chelsea on a free transfer during the summer after leaving Brentford but has not yet been available for a competitive fixture.
Friday would therefore offer the unusual prospect of Henderson making his Chelsea debut against his former club.
ReadChelsea previously reported how Henderson could make his first appearance against Brentford after returning to training at Cobham.
Alonso has now kept that possibility open heading into matchday.
The 36-year-old’s experience would add another option to a midfield which has been stretched by Moises Caicedo’s fitness problems during the opening weeks of the campaign.
Alonso keeps Chelsea selection options open
Palestra and Henderson are not the only players facing late decisions.
João Pedro, Caicedo and Reece James are also being assessed, with Alonso confirming that nobody had been definitively ruled out of the Brentford fixture.
That uncertainty means Chelsea could receive several selection boosts before kick-off.
Palestra and Henderson were both involved in training earlier this week, representing significant progress after extended periods on the sidelines.
Chelsea travel to the Gtech Community Stadium looking to return to winning ways following the 2-2 draw with Hull City.
Kick-off against Brentford is at 8pm on Friday.
Whether Palestra or Henderson will be involved remains uncertain, but Alonso has now made clear that a first competitive Chelsea appearance for either player remains possible.
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