Chelsea injury news: Official injury update ahead of Newcastle United clash as £52m man awaits debut

Chelsea have released an official update on six players ahead of their trip to St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon. The Blues can move within one point of Newcastle United with a win on Tyneside, but they will likely have to do it without six players following an update from the club.

In an update posted to the club website, the Blues have confirmed that Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and Wesley Fofana are continuing to undergo rehabilitation programmes from their respective injuries. The quartet won’t feature at St James’ Park on Saturday.

However, updates on Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku have suggested that the pair may be set to make their long-awaited respective Chelsea debuts. Lavia joined Chelsea from Southampton in the summer whilst Nkunku moved to Stamford Bridge on a permanent deal after spending the second half of last season on-loan at RB Leipzig after agreeing a £52m move in January. 

Both players are ‘progressing with the reconditioning phase of rehabilitation’. Although both are regarded as doubts to start against the Magpies, they could be in-line for an appearance on Mauricio Pochettino’s substitute’s bench. 

Both Lavia and Nkunku were linked with a potential move to Tyneside before agreeing to join Chelsea and whilst the former Saints man is yet to feature for the Blues, Nkunku did play against Newcastle United during the Premier League Summer Series in the USA during pre-season. However, he suffered a knee-injury during their final pre-season game against Borussia Dortmund - one that has ruled him out of action since then.