Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Cole Palmer is likely to be available for Saturday's Premier League clash at Bournemouth, despite withdrawing from the England squad. The 22-year-old returned to Cobham after reporting muscle fatigue, but has trained this week and is expected to feature.
Palmer's withdrawal from international duty was described as an 'ongoing issue', leading to concerns over his fitness. However, Maresca rested him during the break and the forward has been left out of the Conference League squad to manage his workload.
The Blues are also dealing with a shortage at right-back, with both Reece James and Malo Gusto ruled out. James is still recovering from a hamstring injury and is a couple of weeks away from returning to training, while Gusto suffered a thigh problem against Crystal Palace.
Summer signing Filip Jorgensen is a doubt after being forced off for Denmark Under-21s with an unspecified injury. Denmark U21 boss Steffen Hojer expressed concern, but the extent of the problem remains unclear.
Midfielder Romeo Lavia is close to returning from a hamstring issue, with Maresca describing his absence as 'not a huge concern'. Lavia has missed the last two league matches but is expected back soon.
