The Chelsea squad are now back in pre-season training again, and there was a major boost as one of the first team squad made his long-awaited return from injury.
It has been less than a month since the Blues capped off their 2024/25 season with triumph in the Club World Cup final, but now there are less than two weeks until the domestic campaign gets underway again.
Chelsea have a couple of pre-season fixtures at Stamford Bridge before their home game against Crystal Palace, and it will be the first opportunity for supporters to see new additions Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens and Jorrel Hato in action.
Enzo Maresca will be looking to come to a conclusion on who he should be starting the opening game of the season, with new signings leaving decisions to be made across the pitch.
Chelsea Training Session
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Wesley Fofana is back as Chelsea return to training
One position which saw plenty of rotation last season was centre-back, with this largely due to the injury problems suffered by Wesley Fofana.
It has been an extremely difficult three years since he moved from Leicester City, and injury ruled Fofana out of the Club World Cup.
It was therefore a big boost for Maresca and the rest of the squad to see the Frenchman back amongst his teammates in their first pre-season training session.
The defender posted pictures on his Instagram page, alongside the message: “They like to talk too much…”, as he looks to prove his doubters wrong in the upcoming 12 months.
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Fofana is entering a make or break season, with it surely not being long before the Blues cannot rely on him to be part of their long-term project due to injuries.
Chelsea Pre-Season Training Session
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Fofana is a big Maresca favourite
Despite his limited opportunities in the past three seasons, it is clear that the player has made an impression on his current club manager.
It has been reported Fofana is one of Maresca’s favourite players, and he sees him as a key part of Chelsea’s best possible defence.
Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah have already proven they can be solid options at the back, however there are no concrete links to a new centre-back this summer.
Therefore it is required for Fofana to prove himself in the upcoming campaign, and the fact he is ready to train with his teammates suggests he could be in contention to start the opener against Palace.