After a season where they will have been cursing their luck from start to finish when it came to injuries, the mood at Chelsea will likely be quite optimistic right now.
The Blues have nearly a clean bill of health going into the new season, with Nicolas Jackson set to pick up his first minutes of the summer tonight in the friendly against Real Madrid.
By this time last season, Wesley Fofana had already been ruled out for a number of months with a serious knee injury, which ended up being the whole season.
While the Frenchman is unscathed up to now, one of his defensive colleagues and compatriots has not been so lucky in one of the only injury concerns so far.
Axel Disasi is yet to make an appearance this summer despite being out on the tour of the United States.
However, he told The 5th Stand App that he was back on the pitch, and approaching a full return from injury.
He said: “I am back on the pitch, not fully, but I’m close. I am feeling good. There is some strength that I lost from my injury that I have to get back, but I hope I will be fit very soon.”
Disasi enjoyed plenty of minutes in his first season at the club since his £39m move 12 months ago.
It is still relatively unknown who is going to start in the centre-back positions in the opening game of the season against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
Tosin Adarabioyo has impressed in training since joining the club, and will certainly feel he has put himself in the mix for a start.
The left side of the central defensive pairing is being competed for between Levi Colwill and Benoit Badiashile.
Badiashile did not start the recent game against City due to his minutes being managed, potentially hinting that there is an eye on him to start the season.
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