Christopher Nkunku has allegedly been pencilled in to return to Chelsea training later this week.
The summer arrival has endured a frustrating first campaign at Stamford Bridge, initially missing over four months due to a knee injury sustained in pre-season.
Nkunku was able to make his return to feature during the Christmas and New Year period, handing Mauricio Pochettino a welcome boost given Chelsea's inconsistency in front of goal.
Between December 19 and December 30, the France international would accumulate 182 minutes of football across four appearances in all competitions.
However, the versatile attacker is yet to feature in 2024 due to a hip issue that was first due to keep him sidelined in the short term.
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When Nkunku sustained the issue in training, Pochettino suggested that he would still feature on the substitutes' bench against Preston North End in the FA Cup on January 6, yet he was absent from the squad.
Having also been left out against Middlesbrough and Fulham in the games that followed, Pochettino has since acknowledged that he has concerns over the recovery period with Nkunku having not been in the condition to return to training at the end of last week.
According to the Daily Mail, that could change this week with Nkunku having made some improvement in recent days.
Chelsea are currently enjoying a brief break after their recent hectic schedule and with the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough not taking place until January 23.
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Nevertheless, it appears that there are signs that Nkunku may be able to participate with the rest of the group before the end of the week, potentially bringing him back into contention for the Boro tie.
That said, an FA Cup fourth-round tie with Aston Villa and a trip to Liverpool in the Premier League follow in the eight days after that encounter, and it is plausible that no risks will be taken in light of that double-header.
With Nicolas Jackson at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, Armando Broja is currently the only available forward in the squad, while Cole Palmer has been used in a false nine position on occasions.
Pochettino and the club's recruitment team are believed to be assessing whether they should try to sign a new forward before the end of the January transfer window, although an imminent return for Nkunku may ease any concerns in that area for the time being.
Darren Plant
